Procedure on amendments
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that decisions on planning applications should be made as quickly as possible, and within statutory timescales unless a longer period has been agreed by the applicant in writing. To make the right decisions as quickly as possible the main scenarios where amendments will be accepted are listed below for clarity.
When amendments will be accepted without Planning Performance Agreement (PPA)
- The starting point for discussing a proposed application with the council should be via the pre-application service. This will enable full discussion of the merits of the scheme and enable detailed feedback from the council on what amendments may be required prior to submission.
- Amendments to a submitted scheme will only be accepted by the case officer’s invitation and is entirely at their discretion. The council is not obliged to accept amendments to live planning applications.
- Amendments will only be invited if the case officer is of the opinion that the changes are minor, and will add value to the scheme, particularly in respect of design improvements, or changes that would lessen the impact of the development, including in respect of neighbouring amenity, traffic or highways, trees or other ecological designations. This list is not exhaustive and is at the discretion of the case officer.
- Major amendments that involve a full redesign of a scheme will not be accepted. Whether an amendment is major or minor in scale is a judgement for the case officer.
- Case officers will use their judgement to determine whether the amendments will require a further consultation.
- When amendments are accepted this should be within the statutory time period, if possible, to allow for timely consideration and determination. Where amendments will need further time, their invitation will be conditional on the applicant agreeing to a sufficient extension of time.
- The description of development must remain the same.
- Only one set of amendments will be accepted per application
- Corrections to drawings will be accepted.
- Minor amendments will be encouraged following a deferral at an Area Planning Committee, especially on the grounds articulated by Members for a deferral.
When amendments will be accepted with a PPA
- In cases which have a PPA agreement in place the number of material amendments will be stipulated in the agreements.
- A PPA is the only mechanism which will allow applicants a guaranteed right to submit amendments, including major amendments requiring significant revisions, or multiple amendments which may or may not require a full re-consultation exercise.
See details of the PPA process here
When submission of additional information is acceptable
- Additional information will be allowed if a consultee places a holding objection on the scheme and requires further information to be submitted to make an informed judgment.
- This information should not amend the scheme but purely give details that the technical consultee requires.
- If an Extension of Time (EOT) is required to facilitate the above, this will be required to be in place before the submission of the information.
Please note that the procedure is at the Local Planning Aauthority discretion. Additional Information will not be accepted unless requested by the case officer.
Where refusal is recommended
- Where the case officer has recommended that the application be refused, the applicant will be given two working days to withdraw the application for householder and non-major applications and three working days for major applications. If no response is received, we will proceed to issue a decision within the statutory period.
Planning Guarantee
- Under the Planning guarantee we are required to determine non major applications within 16 weeks and majors within 26 weeks. If no extension of time is in place, we will determine within this timeframe even if amendments / additional information is outstanding.
Amendments and additional information will also be allowed at the case officers discretion, for listed building and planning condition applications.
Applications for lawful development certificates, prior approvals and non-material amendments will be determined as submitted.