Welland Planning Service

COMMENTING ON PLANNING APPLICATIONS

If you want to make representations; objections, support or comment, these should be made in writing to the Council at the address indicated in the published notice in letter and in the timescale specified. You can also comment about an application online.

Comments should relate only to "planning matters" - these being the only matters that can, under the legislation, be taken into account by the Council when determining an application.

Legislation and Government guidance describe these matters as the "Development Plan" and other "material considerations" i.e. the content of the Structure Plan and Local Plan relating to the area and the impact of the proposal on the surrounding environment and infrastructure. Of vital importance is that applications must, under the legislation, be determined in accordance with the Development Plan, unless other matters indicate that this would, in the case concerned, be inappropriate.

Examples of such matters include:

The position in respect of Government Planning Policy.
Compliance or otherwise with Structure or Local Plan Policy.
Impact upon Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas or mature trees.
Dominant and oppressive environment created by the proposal.
Design out of keeping with the character of the area.
Highway safety or traffic impact.
Visual intrusiveness.
Excessive noise or smell nuisance.
Overlooking or Loss of privacy.

The following are examples of issues that can not be taken into account:

Devaluation of property.
Personal dislike of the applicant.
Commercial harm to other businesses from competition.
That a lot of people have objected.
The work was commenced without planning permission.
Land ownership, Boundary disputes or matters referring to legal covenants.
Loss of private view.
Matters covered by other legislation (e.g. Alcohol Licences or Building Regulations).
Objections based on moral, racial or religious opinion.

In more general terms, it is worth bearing in mind that the planning system operates to ensure the "control of land use in the public interest." Whilst matters of broader public interest will often co-incide with the interests of individuals, businesses or groups of householders, there are also occasions that they will be in direct conflict. The significance of this in the day-to-day determination of applications is that the issues of most importance to individuals, especially householders, are often very much private in nature and have a minor, if any, role to play in a planning decision.

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