Councillors express concerns over new planning rules change

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 17 Oct, 04:02 · Archive

Councillors have raised concerns over sweeping changes to England's planning system coming into effect from the end of October.

Sweeping changes to England's planning system will come into force from October 31. Under the new rules, only 'significant' planning applications will be decided by planning committees. All other applications will be decided by planning officers, even if they attract a large number of objections.

Councillors have raised concerns about the changes. Members of Bradford Council's Regulatory and Appeals Committee discussed the plans on Thursday and said they are 'really uncomfortable' with the new system, which will see the vast majority of planning applications decided behind closed doors. A Cleckheaton councillor has described the new rules as 'a backwards step'.

Currently, in Bradford, larger applications are decided by planning committees, while the majority of small and medium-sized applications are decided by planning officers. Councillors can request that any application in their ward be decided by a committee, and a significant number of objections can also trigger this. Under the new rules, if applications do go to committees, councillors will only be able to refuse them for planning reasons, not because people have objected.

How it is being reported

• 'Unfair for residents' - Councillors uncomfortable with major planning changeSweeping changes are coming to England’s planning system.Telegraph & Argus · 17 Oct, 03:00
• Cleckheaton councillor raises concerns over new planning rules described as 'a backwards step'A Cleckheaton councillor has raised concerns over the introduction of new planning rules.Dewsbury Reporter · 16 Oct, 15:39

In this story: Bradford Council · Cleckheaton · Bradford · England

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