Having Your Say on Planning Applications

One of the ways in which residents may interact with their local council is in response to a planning application in the local area. Plans to build a new County Council office block on Brewery Road car park by Woking Tories was a key example of mass resident interaction with their council.

There are many planning applications to the Council every year. A great number are not at all contentious. Local councils have a whole series of policies set down which provide a framework against which planning applications are assessed. This allows a number of applications to be decided by planning officers under a process called "delegated powers".

Other applications are put before the planning committee which meets approximately monthly. A councillor can ask for an application which he/she believes raises issues to be put before this committee. Members of the public may also speak in favour or against applications (All thanks to a policy put forward by Woking LibDems).

Council's have a target of deciding minor applications (the great majority are minor) within 8 weeks. A longer period is allowed for major applications (building on Brewery Road was a major application).

If you are in the immediate vicinity of a planning application you should receive notice of the application from the Planning Department. This notice explains how you can raise any concerns about an application or offer your support for an application. The letter will also contain a deadline for submitting your views. This deadline is important, however, if you wish to respond to an application and receive notification late in the process (maybe after a holiday); you are usually able to do so, as long as you respond before the application goes to committee.

If you do receive notification or hear about an application you can look at the full details on the Public Access for Planning website http://caps.woking.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/tdc_home.aspx I'd also recommend contacting your local councillor if you have any queries on the process or wish to raise concerns. You can find details of all your local councillors at http://www.woking.gov.uk/council/councillors2

You can also view a list of all planning applications in the local papers each week.