Terms of reference for the Planning & Environment Committee
Inside a Green Belt, approval should not be given, except in very special circumstances for the construction of new buildings or for the change of use of existing buildings for purposes other than agriculture, sport, cemeteries, institutions standing in extensive grounds, and other uses appropriate to a rural area.
Very special circumstances could include:
1. An overall shortfall in housing supply for a particular area.
2. Local need for residential accommodation of particular types or tenures.
3. Current and emerging Plans do not make adequate provision for particular types and tenures.
4. The development would enable some form of infrastructure needed by a community.
5. The proposals make a significant contribution to unmet need.
6. The housing proposed meets a specialist need which might release other already constructed housing; and
7. Emerging Local Plans may include proposals to alter the Green Belt and allocate your site for development.
The Parish Council will work with Central Bedfordshire Council to ensure a consistent approach.
A. OBJECTIVE
Heath and Reach Parish Council is an advisory body to the Local Planning Authority, Central Bedfordshire Council, for all planning applications that relate to the parish area.
The Planning Committee is constituted to consider and respond on behalf of the Council in respect of such applications.
B. MEMBERSHIP
1. Membership shall consist of a minimum of four Council members elected annually.
2. The Parish Clerk is an officer of this Committee and has not voting rights.
2. The members shall be appointed at the Annual Meeting of the Council or in the case of the Chairman at the first meeting of the planning committee.
3. A quorum shall consist of two members, or half the committee; whichever is the greater.
C. AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
1. The Planning Committee has the delegated authority from Heath and Reach Parish Council to make decisions on planning applications, in accordance with their terms of reference and undertake the following items:
2. Make representations to the Local Planning Authority on applications for planning permission which have been notified to the Council which would not result in a new postal address. All new address applications go to the full Council. Applications that are deemed by consent to have a major impact or be of wide public interest to go to the full Council.
3. Make representations in respect of appeals against the refusal of planning permission.
4. Identify and make representations to the relevant authorities in respect of enforcement action or any matters considered breaches of planning regulations and/or those relating to buildings within Heath and Reach Parish.
5. Monitor, review and where necessary make recommendations to the Council for amendments to the planning consultation procedure.
6. Deal with any other planning related matter that a meeting of the full Council considers appropriate to be referred to the Planning Committee.
7. Consider and respond to planning policy related consultations from Local and Central Government.
8. Monitor the Local Development Framework and its impact on the Parish.
9. Where development is planned in an adjoining Parish that could have an indirect effect on this Parish, make recommendations to the full Council.
10. To liaise with the P3 group.
D. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
1. Details of Planning applications shall be provided to the Committee as and when they arise so that they may make a visit to the locations involved should it be deemed necessary. Members of the Committee are encouraged to view details of forthcoming applications on the Central Bedfordshire Council website and on the Heath and Reach Parish Council website.
E. MEETINGS
1. The Parish Clerk or the Chairman of the Planning Committee will call Planning Committee meetings as and when necessary to ensure that all planning applications received can be discussed and replied to within the timescales.
2. The Planning Committee has an obligation to ensure that all comments received by the Parish Council, prior to the meeting, from all relevant parties, applicants and objectors, for planning applications (not including enforcement notices) are considered at the meeting.
3. All Councillors are welcome to attend meetings of this Committee but only those appointed to it may participate and vote.
4. Minutes of all meetings will be recorded by the Parish Clerk or by any member nominated at the meeting. Minutes will be circulated to all Council members to be ratified at the next Parish Council meeting and published on the Parish Council website as soon as available.
5. With all planning applications, the Parish Council responses shall be noted in the minutes of the Committee meeting.
F. RESPONSES
1. The Parish Clerk will communicate the Committee’s decision in respect of applications considered via the Central Bedfordshire Council website or by other means if necessary. The Clerk is to ensure that these decisions arrive within the timescale for each application.
2. Where an application is subject to an appeal, the Committee is authorised to make written representation or to elect a member of the Committee to attend the hearing.
3. Wherever possible, a member of the Planning Committee is to be nominated to attend the Planning Authority’s Planning Committee meetings to represent the Council’s views in respect of controversial planning applications.
4. All correspondence should be conducted through the Parish Clerk wherever possible.
Links
Central Bedfordshire Council – Planning Department
My Central Bedfordshire
Parish Council planning applications page
As adopted at the Council Meeting held on 13th May 2019
Review
These terms of reference are to be reviewed annually by Heath and Reach Parish Council.
Last reviewed: 6th July 2020
Next review date: September 2023
