Planning Applications
in and around Purley on
When a person makes a planning
application it first needs to be registered. West Berks will issue a case
reference number of the form YY/NNNNN/xx where YY are the last two digits of
the year, NNNNN is the case number and xx indicates the type of application eg
FUL = full application. The details of the application are then copied to an
appropriate set of consultees, The consultations vary with the type and
location of the application but will generally include the police, Thames Water
and other utilities and will always include the Parish Council. Members of
Council are informed by a weekly newsletter.
After consultations have been
received the planning officers will make a preliminary proposal as to how the
application should be determined. In the case of major applications these
recommendations will be placed before a meeting of the Eastern Area Planning
Committee which meets regularly at the Calcot Centre and both applicant and
objectors may speak for up to 5 minutes.
Anyone may respond to a
consultation either in support of or objecting to an application. But note that
objections must be on planning grounds. Unless you have a valid planning
objection it is little use objecting. Typical planning objections will include
intrusion into the street scene, traffic, over development, inappropriate
design, overlooking. Non-valid objections will include loss of property value,
dislike for the applicant, not liking the application
In the majority of cases the
recommendations are published to Members in the weekly newsletter and Members
may ask that an application is called in, ie referred to the Committee for
determination. Otherwise after a few days the recommendations will
automatically become the decision of the Council and a decision letter is sent
out to the applicant with a copy to the Parish Council. (click here for a list of local Members)
An applicant may appeal either
against the decision or against the conditions imposed and this appeal will be
determined by an officer of the Department of the Environment. Note that only
the applicant may appeal, not objectors. There is a further level of appeal
possible by calling for a judicial review but this could prove very costly and
must involve a failure of process not upon the planning merits.
Please note that the Planning
Committee of the Parish Council does not
determine applications. They merely offer advice and recommendations to the
Planning Authority. However the Parish Clerk is usually very willing to make
the details of the application available to members of the public during office
hours. (click here for office hours) For
more information on the planning system click here
G4410 24/10/02