Author: XX07
Last saved by: Helen Simmonite
Company: Harrogate Borough Council

Working for you

Mr C Moore
Clerk To Hampsthwaite P C
83 The Whartons
Otley
W Yorkshire
LS21 1BS

Our Ref:

DCOTSPAR 6.92.123.I.FUL 12/04347/FUL

| Your Ref: |
| Date: | 18 February 2013

Dear Clerk

APPLICATION TYPE:	Full permission
APPLICATION NO:	6.92.123.I.FUL  12/04347/FUL
PROPOSAL:	Erection of 1 bungalow (Site area 0.02ha).
LOCATION:	The Grange 51 High Street Hampsthwaite Harrogate North Yorkshire HG3 2EP

This application which lies within your parish is to be considered at the meeting of the Planning Committee on 26 February 2013 at the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Crescent Gardens, Harrogate.  The meeting starts at 2.00pm.

The Council has decided to allow the parish council, representors, ward councillors not sitting as committee members and the applicant to participate in the meeting in the way explained in the “Opportunity to Speak” Scheme below.  The parish council does not have to take part if it does not wish to do so.  I should like only to emphasise that, if it does take part, the Committee will be expecting a single corporate view to be expressed by the person speaking for the parish council.

A copy of the agenda, including the officer's report on the application, may be inspected here by arrangement from 2pm 5 working days before the meeting or can be viewed on our website :- www.harrogate.gov.uk/planning, Committee Dates & Agendas, Meeting Schedule and select the date of committee.  Please contact Planning Enquiries if you wish to view the report in person by emailing dds-planningenquiries@harrogate.gov.uk or telephone 01423 556666.  Copies of the complete Agenda are available from the Member Service Section, Crescent Gardens Tel: 01423 556007.  Alternatively, as your ward members of the Borough council will receive a copy of the Agenda, you may wish to ask whether you may inspect that copy.

The submission of documentation and material on the day of a meeting by applicants, agents and persons making representations to the Committee is not permitted and cannot be circulated during the meeting.

Yours faithfully

G Bell
Chief Planner (Development Control)

Working for you

The “OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK” Scheme

A Guide To Procedures

Under this scheme, members of the public can make their views known directly to the Committee^1 during the consideration of any application for consent or Tree Preservation Order (TPO), which is identified on the Agenda, under Town and Country Planning legislation.

Please Note:
The advice in this leaflet applies equally to Ward Councillors^2, Parish Councils, objectors and applicants (including supporters), and should answer some of the questions you may have about the procedure and what to expect at the meeting.  It has been devised to make the system as fair and easy to operate as possible.

^1 Speaking is limited to the arrangements described in this leaflet: members of the public may not ask questions or join in the debate.

^2 Only Councillors not sitting as a Committee Member.

Does the scheme affect the publicity procedures for planning applications?
No.  Publicity is always by a site notice (sometimes by a notice in the local press as well) and often by the applicant’s use of the voluntary neighbour notification procedure.  If you wish to object to an application, you should write, before the deadline stated in the publicity, to the Head of Planning Services (HOPS)^3, giving your reasons; you will then receive and acknowledgement.  Or you can submit your representations online at www.harrogate.gov.uk/planning.  If the application goes to Committee for a decision, a summary of any representations is included in the written report.

^3 Please note that HOPS has the power to determine certain applications – the Opportunity to Speak scheme does not apply to these.

If I have written to support or object to an application or TPO, do I have to speak at the Committee meeting?
No.  Your representation is reported to the Committee anyway and it is up to you whether you attend or speak.  You may decide, if you agree with the Officer’s recommendation^4, that there is little point in adding to it.

^4 Please note, however, that the Officer’s recommendations are not always accepted by Committee

If I am the applicant/agent/landowner do I have to speak at the meeting?
No.  If the Officer’s recommendations to Committee is to approve the proposal, you may decide that there is little to add and you are urged not to take up Committee time in repeating the Officer’s comment.  If the Officer’s recommendation is to refuse the proposal^5, you may wish to present your case for approval.

^5 Please note, however, that the Officer’s recommendations are not always accepted by Committee.

Can I hand out new information at the meeting?
No.  The submission of documentation and material on the day of a meeting by applicants, agents and persons making representations to the Committee is not permitted and cannot be circulated during the meeting.

How important is it that the Parish Council speaks at the meeting?
Provided the officers have received the Parish Council’s views they are always reported, either in writing or verbally.   The Committee is always very interested in your views, particularly if the matter is controversial.  If you disagree with the Officer’s report you may express your views direct to the Committee at the time the decision is being made.  The Committee will expect the Parish Council representative to express the single, corporate view of that Council.

If I want to speak, how do I arrange it?
During the week before the Committee meeting we will write to every person^6 who has written to object to or support applications being considered at that meeting.  We will also notify all Applicants (or their Agents) whose applications are to be considered, those served with and who have commented on a TPO to be considered and the Parish Council.  If you do not make a representation, or send them in later, you will still be able to speak but we will not write to you about the date and place of the meeting in advance.

If you want to speak you should arrive well before the meeting is due to start and tell the Member Services Officer, so that the Chairman can provide the opportunity for you to speak at the appropriate time.  The time allocated to ALL objectors or supporters is 3 minutes – not 3 minutes each.

^6 If you are objecting to a planning application as part of an organised campaign or petition, all correspondence will be with the organiser only.

What is the order of speaking on each item at Committee?
The Chairman will introduce the item and will ask members of the public to speak in this order:
Ward Councillor(s) not sitting as a Committee Member
Parish Council representative(s)
Objector(s)
Applicant or agent & any supporter(s)

The Planning Officer will, beforehand, have updated the report and emphasised the planning issues.  Members of the Committee may ask questions of each speaker before they debate the application or TPO and a decision will then be made.

If an item is on the agenda, will it definitely be considered?
Most items on the agenda will be dealt with but you should be aware of the possibility that the Applicant may withdraw the application or that the Committee may defer consideration, for example to obtain further information.  In a few instances, where a decision the Committee wish to make on an application is contrary to policy, the application will be referred up to the District Development Sub-Committee for determination.

What will be the order of items at the Committee meeting?
The agenda order is normally followed but may be rearranged on the day of the meeting, taking those items first for which most members of the public are present.  The time taken by each item is difficult to predict and accurate estimates of when each item is to be heard cannot be given.

How long will I be able to speak for?
There is a time limit of 3 minutes for each group of speakers i.e. Ward Members^7, Parish Council, objectors and Applicants/supporters.  Objectors are advised to get together to make a joint case, appointing a single representative if possible.  The Chairman of the Committee may intervene, or vary the order of speakers, in the interests of efficiency.  Exceptionally, the Chairman may increase the time available, for example if an application straddles a parish boundary or if a large number of people wish to speak.  In such cases the time will be increased equally for each of the three groups.  Normally, no notice will be given.

^7 not sitting as a Committee Member

May I be professionally represented?
You may, but this should not be necessary in most cases.  Where the applicant has employed a professional Agent to submit an application it is more likely that the Agent will speak.

Can I ask questions of other speakers?
You may include questions in the time allocated to you, but the Committee has no powers to make other speakers answer you questions.  Generally, it is better to ask questions before the meeting and to state your objections on the basis of the information given to you.  You must not interrupt other speakers, nor interrupt the Committee debate.

What are the relevant issues in considering applications?
•	the Local Plan/Local Development Framework
•	other planning policies
•	Central Government advice
•	highway safety
•	landscape impact
•	local amenity, noise, privacy
•	conservation of buildings, trees etc.
•	case law and previous decisions

Which issues are irrelevant?
•	reduction in property values
•	ownership dispute
•	business competition
•	moral considerations
•	restrictive covenants
•	personal circumstances or private rights
•	matters controlled by other legislation (e.g. licensing)

An application submitted after work has been carried out has to be determined on its planning merits like any other.

What if I have any other queries?
Please contact Planning Enquiries at Knapping Mount, West Grove Road, Harrogate HG1 2AE.  Tel. 01423 556666	Fax. 01423 556510	Office hours are: Mon-Fri 8.30am – 4.00pm.

To purchase copies of agendas and reports Tel. 01423 556007 (Member Services Section, Crescent Gardens, Harrogate HG1 2SG).  Or you can view these, and the applications and plans, at http://www.harrogate.gov.uk/planning

12/04347/FUL
Knapping Mount, West Grove Road, Harrogate, HG1 2AE
T:  01423 500600  TXT: 01423 556543  www.harrogate.gov.uk

OTSPAR 12/04347/FUL