This document is also available in other languages on request:

Also available in Large Print, CD Rom, Audio

Tape and Braille on request.
Contact us on: 024 7637 6328
RNIB Typetalk: 18001 024 7637 6328
Having your say on
Planning Applications
A guide to making your views
known on planning applications
and speaking at committee
Councillors may ask questions of speakers if
there are points they wish to clarify.
The Planning Offcer will be invited to
comment on the points made by the
speakers.
Having your say
The Council recognises that it can be a
daunting task to address public meeting.
It will help you if you prepare what you are
going to say before you come to the meeting,
then practice saying it and time it. You do
not have to fll the 3 minutes - that is up to
you - but that is the maximum time you will
have. On your arrival there will be an Offcer
available to give you advice on procedures.
When you are invited to speak you can stay
where you are or come forward to speak at
the table provided.
The Committee Clerk will start a clock and
the Chair will ask you to stop when the
buzzer sounds.
What can you say?
Comments must be on planning issues.
These include: highway safety; traffc; noise;
amenity; privacy; pollution; historic buildings;
conservation; wildlife; environmental effects;
disabled access; Local Plan policies; the
County Structure Plan and Government
Guidance.
Issues which cannot be taken into account
include; the developers motives; loss of views
over other peoples land; property values;
private rights; covenants & boundary disputes.
www.nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk
www.nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk
024 7637 6328
Please dont:
make comments of a personal or slanderous
nature
be abusive
interrupt other speakers or the debate.
Additional items such as photographs/
plans cannot be handed out at the
meeting. They must be supplied to
Offcers one full working day before the
meeting, preferably with your written
comments.
The Decision
The Committee will make a decision taking into
account the relevant factors put before them.
This may involve a detailed debate so there is
no time limit for Members speaking.
Other information
Where an application is complex it may be
deferred by the Committee, possibly for a site
visit or for further information/changes before a
fnal decision is made. This may involve people
wishing to speak to the Committee having to
attend more than one meeting.
How planning applications are dealt with
Applications can either be determined by the
Head of Development Control on behalf of
the Council or by the Planning Applications
Committee.
Applications where there are no more than
5 objections may be determined by the
Head of Development Control. The Head
of Development Control can also determine
applications where there are more than 5
objections and the application is to be refused
or 5 letters of support and the application is to
be approved, the former after consultation with
Ward Councillors.
The Planning Applications Committee Meetings
alternate between the Town Hall, Nuneaton
and the Civic Hall, Bedworth. They are held in
public and you can speak at them.
If you wish to discuss the application in more
detail please contact the Development Control
Team.
Putting your comments in writing
When a planning application has been
made the Council tells nearby residents and
carries out other consultations. The Council
has adopted a Code of Conduct relating to
publicity. Residents often feel there should have
been wider consultation but the Council has to
draw a line somewhere. It will normally consult
those who adjoin the site, often those opposite
and sometimes more widely, depending on the
nature of the proposal.
The Council want to know about your views
and concerns which should be put in writing
and addressed to the Head of Development
Control, or email:
planning@nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk
All decisions will be based on a number of
factors including national and local planning
policies, Government guidance, the planning
merits of the proposals and other relevant
considerations. The law favours approving
all applications unless there are overriding
planning objections. Your views will be
considered but may not override other factors.
If an application is determined by the Planning
Applications Committee comments are
summarised on the agenda so that Councillors
are aware of them and are referred to in the
Planning Offcers report at the meeting.
The Council should make decisions within set
time scales so there is a time limit for making
your views known - this is 21 days from the
date of the Councils notifcation letter/site
notice and 14 days from a newspaper advert.
PLEASE NOTE
if you do not reply in the time allowed it will
be too late to consider your comments;
comments will be kept on fles which are
open to the public. The applicant has the
right to inspect any comments received. If
there is an appeal copies will be sent to the
Secretary of State and to the person making
the appeal;
a response to your comments will not
normally be made. If you make comments
you will be informed of the decision.
Having your say at the Planning
Applications Committee meeting
As well as being able to make written
comments, if the application is reported to
the Committee, you may speak directly to the
Planning Applications Committee.
Who can speak at the meeting?
On each item the Council allows 2 speakers
for and 2 speakers against. We positively
encourage speakers to group together to
present their case to the Committee but if
this is not possible then speakers will be
allocated on a frst come, frst served
basis.
Before the meeting
If you would like to speak at the meeting please
call the Contact Team on 024 7637 6328.
This should be done within the 21 days
mentioned in the Councils notifcation
letter/advert. Only registered speakers and
those who specifcally request to be kept
informed of the process will be contacted by
the Council to advise when the application
will be reported to Committee. If it is we
will confrm the date, time and venue of the
meeting.
You must contact the Council to register your
request to speak
The Contact Team are available to assist with
any queries relating to facilities for people with
disabilities or mobility problems. The telephone
number can be found on the consultation letter.
At the meeting
You can have a copy of the agenda, a leafet
on how the Committee works and a list of
people who want to speak.
The Chair of the meeting will announce each
item and the Planning Offcer will report on
the proposal and the main considerations.
The Chair will then invite speakers to address
the meeting for a maximum of 3 minutes
each. Any objectors will speak frst followed
by any supporters and the applicant/agent.