Determining planning applications
Applications in Rochdale are determined
in two ways, either by the Delegation Scheme or by Township
Planning Committees and/or Regulatory Committee.
Applications decided by the Delegation Scheme
(such as applications for extensions and/or alterations) are dealt
with by a Planning Officer who makes a recommendation for a
particular decision. This file is then passed to the Head of
Development Control and the Head of Planning and Regulation
Services who have the final decision.
Larger applications or applications affecting
local residents are put before Township Planning Committees and on
some occasions more controversial applications may have to be
referred to the central Regulatory Committee for final
determination.
Planning Committees
When an application goes to one of the
Township Planning Committees for a decision, a written report is
produced which summarises the planning issues and makes a
recommendation. A list of planning officer reports is published
detailing the applications and the order in which they will be
handled. The meeting agendas (including officer
reports) are available for viewing a week before the
meeting date and will remain available for viewing for 12 months
after. The minutes of meetings are available to view five
days after the meeting date.
Approximately a week before the Committee
meeting all correspondents, applicants, or their agents, will be
notified of the date, time and venue of the committee meeting.
You are welcome to attend the Committee and
you will be allowed to address the Committee members. It is
entirely at your discretion as to whether you take the opportunity
to speak. If there is more than one objector to the application
then normally the Chairman of the Committee will allow only one
person to speak in view of the limited time available. Consequently
objectors may get together to make a joint case covering all the
points that each individual wishes to make. The applicant will also
have the opportunity to address the Committee after the objectors
have put their views. The members of the Committee may ask
questions of each speaker after they have spoken. The
Committee members will then debate the merits of the application
and decision will be made.
When making a decision the Council
must give reasons for its decision based on the relevant planning
issues.
Anyone who has submitted comments to the
Council will be notified of the decision details within seven days
of that decision.