Chidham and Hambrook Parish Council
How your Parish Council deals with Planning Applications

All planning applications submitted to the District Council are forwarded initially to your own Parish Council for a local assessment and comment.

In our case the applications are dealt with by the PC Planning Group which consists of the Chairman and 3 other councillors. Every effort is made to ensure councillors in the planning group live in different areas of the parish thereby ensuring local knowledge. The councillor nearest the development site does the initial investigation, making contact with neighbours etc. All members of the group view the site and all make written comments and whether to object to the proposal or otherwise. The final decision is by the majority, should there be an even split the planning group will meet and discuss their decision and if still undecided the proposal will be discussed by the full Parish Council. The recommendation forwarded to the District Council is frequently accompanied by comments and conditions, particularly if an objection is raised.

Should an application go before the DC Planning Committee which is particularly contentious a parish councillor will attend the meeting and express the PC’s views.

When we assess an application some or all of the following are taken into account:

• What are the immediate neighbours opinions
• What are the applicants reasons for applying
• Does the development fit into the local scene
• Are there traffic/safety problems
• Does the development lie within the Settlement Policy/Strategic Gap/Area of Outstanding Beauty
• Are the proposed building materials compatible with the existing
• Will it exacerbate the local sewage and storm water problems
• Is it a listed building
• Will it overlook/be overlooked by neighbouring properties
• Is it overdevelopment of the site

There are more.

Should a councillor have a personal interest in the application, he/she is ruled out of the process and another co-opted.

Finally, it is stressed that the Parish Council does not make the decision on the application, we can only recommend. The decision lies with the District Council.

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