Customer Charter
Planning Services - Development Control
Making Bath & North East Somerset a better place to live,
work and visit
We are committed to providing
accessible information for everyone.
Please let us know how we can meet your
access requirements.
Introduction
Planning is about delivering what people want - jobs, houses,
better transport, lively city centres and sensitive care of our
built heritage and countryside. To deliver these objectives in the
most sustainable way, planning has to be positive and dynamic.
The Development Control process provides a framework to help
protect and enhance our environment at the same time as allowing
development that promotes economic and social opportunities for
all.
Most people will become involved with planning through the
development control process. This might be either as an applicant
making an application for planning permission or as a neighbour who
has an interest in a proposal nearby. However, in reality, nearly
all people are affected in one way or another by the planning
process, although sometimes this is not always apparent. For
example, the strongly protected greenbelt around towns and cities,
where people enjoy open space remain largely untouched, as a result
of refusals of planning permission. This benefit is difficult to
identify, although it is a direct result of the planning process.
Inevitably, the Council’s planning decisions must take account of a
whole range of different, and often conflicting, factors.
We are continuously creative to ensure the provision of a high
quality and fair service with emphasis on care and commitment to
our customers. We constantly seek to improve upon our existing
service and welcome and embrace innovative ideas to achieve these
improvements.
The aim of this service charter is to outline the major elements
of the development control service and the level of service and
performance standards all users of the Development Control service
can expect from us.
David Trigwell
Assistant Director of Planning and Transport Development
Bath & North East Somerset
Council Objectives
- Improving the quality of life and the environment
- Building a healthier and safer community
- Promoting the economy and tackling poverty
- Developing lifelong learning for everyone
- Delivering quality services and local democracy
Planning Service Vision
We are committed to securing a socially, economically and
environmentally sustainable future for Bath & North East
Somerset Council through provision of a higher quality service to
all.Planning Service Objectives
-
We will work to achieve equality of access to jobs, houses,
services and facilities and the environment in town and country,
and promote high standards of design in new development and
sustainable use of land.
Development Control Service Structure
The Development Control Service comprises four teams who deal
with all aspects of the development control process including
planning and related applications for development, appeals,
enforcement and general enquiries within a geographical boundary.
Additionally, there are two officers who deal with specialist
applications involving major and complex development proposals and
for development relating to waste and minerals.
Central government, the Department for Communities and
Local Government (DCLG), set national performance targets for
all local authorities across a range of services. For the
Development Control service, these targets relate to all types of
applications ranging from simple house extensions to large, complex
applications for development. These targets are continually
monitored and analysed to seek improved performance. Details of
these targets can be viewed in the Council’s Best Value Performance
Plan.
Within the overall corporate and service objectives, in addition
to those targets mentioned above, the Development Control Service
has specific targets and aspirations.
Targets:
Pre-application Discussion/Advice
- We will encourage developers/applicants to have pre-application
discussions with officers to identify and seek to resolve problems
prior to formal submission.
- We will ensure regular liaison and meetings with other Council
services who are responsible for the development of land and
buildings.
- We will aim to reply to written requests for planning advice
within 15 working days of receipt. Where this target is not met, a
letter will be sent within 5 days of receipt explaining reasons for
the delay.
- Where sufficient and adequate information/plans are provided in
advance for a pre-application proposal, we will aim to meet to
discuss the proposal on site, or in the office, within 15 working
days of the request.
Receipt/Registration of Applications
-
We will aim to register valid applications within 3 working days
of receipt.
-
If an application is invalid or incomplete, we will aim to
notify the applicant/agent of how the deficiency can be corrected
within 4 working days of receipt.
-
We will aim to acknowledge receipt of applications (valid or
not) within 5 working days of receipt.
-
We will aim to notify occupiers of property adjoining an
application site in writing within 5 days of registration.
- All standard letters to the applicant or consultee shall
indicate the name of the case officer.
- The acknowledgement letter shall advise the date by which the
application should normally be determined.
The Processing of Applications
- We will ensure that the case officer inspects all application
sites allocated to him/her.
- We will ensure that a system is in place to inform applicants
of progress of application.
- We will ensure that the case officer seeks, where appropriate,
to enhance the quality of the submitted scheme through
negotiations. A record to be kept of those application where 'value
added' achieved.
- Officers will not waste applicants/agents time on negotiations
where issues of policy or principle cannot be overcome. Where this
is the case, the applicant/agent will be informed.
Consultations on Applications
- We will send all Ward Members a weekly list of planning
applications and inform them of all items to be considered by
committee.
- We will notify relevant neighbours, Parish/Town Councils and
other consultees on all applications and they will be given 21 days
to make representations.
- We will re-notify relevant neighbours, Parish/Town Councils and
other consultees of material changes to any plans, and re-advertise
in the press and on site where necessary, allowing a further 14
days for representations.
- On request, we will explain to any Parish/Town Council the
reason for a decision if it is contrary to the comments received
from that Council.
- Public copies of applications will be available within 2 days
of it being registered as a valid application.
- A weekly list of planning applications received by the Local
Planning Authority will be produced and be available for public
inspection. The weekly list also appears online.
Decisions on Applications
- We will aim to ensure that all reports to the Development
Control Committees are clear and concise, make full reference to
the policies and other material considerations, and incorporate
details of all the representations received, including those from
consultees.
- We will aim to ensure that all conditions attached to
permissions or reasons for refusal are clear and concise.
- We will aim to issue Decision Notices within 2 working days of
decision being made.
- We will aim to notify applicants/agents of reasons for
applications being deferred by Committee within 5 working days of
the Committee meeting.
- We will aim to notify those who have made representations on
applications of the decision within 5 working days of that decision
being made.
Enforcement of Planning Control
- We will aim to ensure that all enforcement complaints received
are recorded within 24 hours.
- We will aim to ensure that all written enforcement complaints
are acknowledged within 5 working days of receipt, giving the
contact name and telephone number of the officer dealing with the
investigation.
- We will aim to ensure that sites, subject to enforcement, which
require inspection are visited within the time scales identified in
the Priority List outlined in the document entitled 'Planning
Services -Enforcement Policy'.
Appeals
- All standard letters to the appellant or agent shall indicate
the name of the officer dealing with the appeal.
- We will aim to ensure that all the regulation appeal process
target dates are met.
- We will aim to ensure that appeal decisions are monitored and
assessed.
- We will encourage developers/applicants to have further
discussions, prior to any formal appeal to the Planning
Inspectorate.
- We will provide regular performance monitoring reports to
Committee on appeals.
General
- As a council-wide corporate target, we aim to respond to 95% of
letters and emails within 15 working days.
- As a council-wide corporate target, we aim to respond to 90% of
telephone calls within 20 seconds.
- We will aim to ensure the availability of staff throughout the
working day to receive telephone calls or to meet callers to the
offices.
- We will continue to seek the views of both users and non-users
of the service through the use of surveys and other appropriate
exercises to ensure that the delivery of our service is monitored
to achieve continuous improvement.
- We will ensure systems are in place to monitor and assess
planning decisions in order to maximise the quality of
outcome.
- We will ensure all staff and Members receive continual
training.
- We will ensure input into the formulation of planning
policies/guidance notes, etc.
- We will ensure that regular meetings take place with key users
of the Service such as the Parish/Town Councils, architects and
agents, together with groups who represent the varying interests of
the community.
- We will set targets and measure performance against them each
year.
- We will publish these targets and performance against them each
year.
- We will review our targets and aspirations for the service each
year.
Equal Opportunities StatementThe service has adopted an
equalities statement based on the principle of
‘GOOD ACCESS BENEFITS ALL’
The Service Aim is therefore to ensure that:
- All documentation shall include a statement on accessible
formats and community languages
- All open meetings shall be held in an accessible
location
- All staff shall be aware of the contents and whereabouts of the
Accessible Formats Directory
- Where a member of the public is unable to access the office,
other means of providing information will be found
How to get in touch
Personal callers for Planning Services:
Planning Reception Area, Trimbridge House, Trim Street, Bath,
BA1 2DP
Tel: 01225 394041
Office Hours:
Mondays - Thursdays 8.30am to 5pm
Fridays 8.30am to 4.30pm
You can help us by:
- Suggesting ways in which our service might be
improved.
- Informing us of any development control service related issues
you might be aware of within the Bath & North East Somerset
area.
Putting Matters right
We are aware that we may sometimes fail to deliver a service to
the standard we have set for ourselves, and if this happens we want
you to let us know. Equally, If you are pleased with the service
you have received from the Development Control service, please let
us know too.
If you wish to make representations, in the first instance,
please write to or email:
David Trigwell
Assistant Director of Planning and Transport Development
Planning Services
Trimbridge House
Trim Street
Bath BA1 2DP
david_trigwell@bathnes.gov.uk
If you feel that any complaint you make has not been
satisfactorily resolved, you can request that the matter be
investigated by another member of staff. Another officer will be
appointed from outside the service area concerned to look into your
complaint. More details on the Council’s
Complaints Procedure can be found on the Council’s website.
