Speaking at planning committee meetings

What is the Planning Committee?

The planning committee is made up of 12 city councillors who are responsible for deciding planning applications, listed building and conservation area consents, as well as enforcement cases. Which items are considered by the committee are decided through the Council's Scheme of Delegation.

The planning committee meets every four weeks, at 1pm on a Thursday in the Council House, Civic Centre. Details of meetings are available from the Democratic Support Unit, Chief Executive's Department, Civic Centre as are details of the members who sit on the committee.

With the exception of very occasional confidential matters, all the formal business of the planning committee is held in public.

What is the aim of public speaking?

This new procedure for the committee enables you to express your views on planning matters by giving you the opportunity to speak to the councillors at the planning committee.

Those who can participate will be a) the applicant, agent or third party supporter (these are all called a 'supporter' in this page) and b) a third party objector. In the case of third parties, only those who have made written representation on the application will be eligible to speak. One supporter and one objector may speak directly to the committee on a planning application listed on the agenda.

How do I register my wish to speak?

Once an item appears on a planning committee agenda (available five working days prior to the meeting) you can register your wish to speak on that item. You must telephone, email or send a letter or fax to the Democratic Support Unit (contact details provided below). Please give the planning application number and whether you are the applicant, agent or a third party supporter or objector to the proposal. You must also provide your name and address.

Requests must be received by 4.30pm on the Tuesday before the planning committee. If there is more than one objector or supporter, you will be asked to agree a spokesperson amongst yourselves. Details of your nominated spokesperson must be received by the Democratic Support section by 4.30 pm on the Wednesday before the meeting. If no agreement is reached by this time, the Democratic Support Team will notify the first person to have registered their interest and advise them that it is they who can speak.

How long may I speak for?

One objector of the planning application and one supporter may each speak for a maximum of five minutes. After this time there will be no further involvement of the speaker in the deliberations of the committee. In the event that an application is deferred and you have already exercised your right to speak, when the application returns to the committee there will be a further opportunity for you to speak again.

What happens at the committee meeting?

All speakers who have registered a wish to speak need to attend the committee at least half an hour before the start and you should register your attendance with the Democratic Support Officer. You will need to confirm your name and address, and reconfirm the application you wish to speak on and whether you are the applicant, agent, third party supporter or an objector of the proposal.

When the relevant item is introduced by the Chair of the Committee, the Chair will indicate via the Democratic Support Officer who is in attendance that you may speak.

For each planning application, the order of speakers will be:

• Planning Officer
• Ward Member
• Objector
• Supporter

There is no further opportunity to make representations at the meeting. At the end of these statements the members of the committee will debate the item and make a decision.

What can you speak about?

The planning committee can only make decisions on applications based upon material planning considerations. It is recommended that statements made should be confined to such matters, advice on which can be obtained from the relevant Planning Case Officer in advance of the meeting. Their contact details are available on the agenda or you can ring the main Development Consents number on 01752 304366.

What is not allowed?

Speakers will not be allowed to address questions to the committee or planning officers. The appropriate procedure for this is under Electors' Questions (see below).

Speakers will not be allowed to distribute papers, plans or other material at the committee and cannot use slides, overheads, videos or other visual aids.

Speakers should not interrupt other speakers or interrupt the committee debate.

Speakers are advised not to make slanderous statements or discriminatory or inflammatory remarks. The Chair can require a speaker to stop speaking and leave the meeting if the speaker's statement falls within these categories.

The Chair can suspend the right to public speaking in relation to an individual item or the whole committee if he or she considers it necessary to maintain order at the meeting.

Electors' questions

Members of the public can ask questions under the Authority's Electors' questions process and an item on Electors' questions appears near the beginning of the agenda.

Electors' questions should be submitted in writing and must be received by the Democratic Support Unit at least five complete working days before the meeting. Details about this, a separate process from public speaking on planning applications, are available from the Democratic Support Unit (details below).

Further information

Agendas can be collected from First Stop Reception by email ds.planning@plymouth.gov.uk.

Democratic Support Unit

Democratic Support Unit
Chief Executive’s Department
Floor 1
Civic Centre
Plymouth
PL1 2AA

Telephone:01752 307815/304022
Fax:01752 304819
Email: democraticsupportplanning@plymouth.gov.uk

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