The council seeks to determine applications within the statutory time periods set by the Government which are eight weeks from receipt for most planning applications and 13 weeks for major schemes. As such the council has limited scope to be able to accept amendments or additional supporting information to applications once they have been submitted and prior to their determination. The council therefore strongly encourages pre-application discussions to enable applications to be submitted in a form that is likely to be acceptable.
Alterations or additional supporting information which, if accepted, will prevent the application from being determined in the statutory time period would only be accepted at the discretion of the case officer.
What the council cannot normally accept as an amendment
Proposed amendments to schemes which significantly alter the character or description of the proposal will not normally be accepted. In these circumstances it will be necessary to submit a fresh application.
Proposed alterations which result in the following will normally require the submission of a fresh application and will therefore not be accepted as an amendment:
- Increase in application site boundary
- Increase in number of dwellings proposed
- Introduction of different uses
- Amendments that would adversely affect the amenity of neighbours
Notwithstanding the above, amendments will be assessed on a case by case basis having regard to the overall size of the development and the implications of the amended plans.
What the council can accept as an amendment
- Minor changes to the position of buildings (or more substantial changes in relation to larger development proposals)
- Alterations to the proposal to meet policy or guidance requirements
- Deletion/re-location of windows
- Obscure glazing to windows
- Relocation of/additional landscaped areas
- Additional detailed design changes
When and if the council will re-consult on amended plans
The case officer will make an assessment of the proposed amendment having regard to the nature and scale of the proposed alteration as to whether re-consultation is required.
In determining whether re-consultation should be carried out the case officer will have due regard to the following considerations:
(a) Were objections or reservations raised at an earlier stage substantial and, in the view of the local authority enough to justify further publicity?
(b) Have earlier views been addressed by the amendments now under consideration?
(c) Are the matters now under consideration likely to be of concern to parties not previously notified?
In those situations where the council considers re-consultation is necessary, all relevant parties that may be affected by the amendments and any other third parties who have commented on the proposal, will be informed of the receipt of amended plans and will normally be given a further 14 days to make any additional representation. A lesser time period may occasionally be given for additional comments to be made dependent on the individual circumstances of the application. Ward councillors and if relevant, the Town or Parish Council will also be notified.
Copies of the amended plans will be available to view on the council’s website and at the council’s reception during normal opening hours.
The council will not, however, re-notify parties where the alterations reduce the scale and impact of the proposal. In assessing this, the case officer will consider if, by not notifying third parties of the receipt of amended plans, their interest would be unreasonably prejudiced. The council would not, for example, normally re-advertise a proposal for an extension to a property where the amended plan sets it further back from the boundary or reduces the depth of its projection. The decision not to re-notify third parties of the receipt of amended plans will not affect the weight that will be given to any comments received in connection with the original application.
