Helpful Hints for Planning Objections

1. Each application is considered under its own merits and so the issue of one permission leading to another is not grounds for refusal under planning law. Despite that it is a real concern.
2. Smaller applications can be approved by officers under delegated powers but Councillors can 'call them in' so that they still go to planning committee for public scrutiny.
3. Talk to your local Councillors, particularly those on the planning committee.
4. Encourage lots of letters but try to steer them to relevant grounds for objection.
5. If it goes to committee, co-ordinate the local response to make the most of the five minutes that objectors are allowed to speak. Keep it calm. Read the guidelines on public speaking at Planning Committee.
6. Before going to committee, go in to planning reception, ask to see the file and get a copy of the officer’s report. If your call is calm and courteous, you will generally find planning officers quite helpful on the phone. Do not waste their time or yours giving them your opinion but ask them about the process and the recommendations for your application.
7. If you are unlikely to get it refused, think about how it could be improved, particularly things like landscaping, design, overlooking.
8. Keep up to date with the progress of the application through the formal process.
9. Send a summary of points to us so that we can draw from them if we also send a response.
10. If a repeat application is submitted, this will have a new application reference. Planning Officers are obliged to treat it as a completely new application and your comments will not be carried forward. If your previous comments are still relevant to the revised plans, a photocopy of your previous response with the new application reference will suffice. It may be useful to consider whether the revisions have reflected or taken account of your previous concerns and to make this clear in your response.
11. And finally, encourage your neighbours to join CADRA. The larger our membership, the greater our influence. We could send membership leaflets out if that would help, or they are available in the Library, Wordplay, Bangles and Caversham Adult Education Centre.

Page updated: January 2012