Put your comments in writing
When you are completely clear on your position regarding a planning application, your next step is to make your comments in writing to the planning authority.
Make sure that you do so within the time allowed, which is usually two weeks and that you support your arguments with planning policy.
Letter-writing tips
Refer to the development plan. List development plan policies that support your case and explain how they do so. Counter development plan policies that conflict with your views.
Explain what other planning issues you believe should affect the decision.
Consider the public interest
You should judge what other topics are relevant in terms of your local community as a whole or the wider public interest.
Therefore you should avoid referring to topics such as
- Land ownership
- The effects of proposals on the value of neighbouring property
- The personal circumstances of the applicant
in the majority of cases. Conversely, if there has been an identified need for a particular kind of development in the area and the application does not address that need, you could comment on that.
Be courteous
Be clear and courteous, avoid personal issues and concentrate on the facts of the case. Separate out each point you wish to make. Explain what you want to happen and, where appropriate, suggest suitable conditions you would like to see imposed if the application is permitted.
Try to be concise.
Get comments in on time
You'll generally have two weeks to respond to a planning application.
If at all possible, get your comments in before the deadline.
If this is impossible, send a short letter summarising your views within the deadline and follow it up later with more detailed comments.
These comments may be taken into account, particularly if your views don't cause any delay in the decision, but you cannot rely on this.
You may wish to approach the applicant to try to persuade him or her to improve the application. You could do so before or after you write your letter.
A sample letter
Development Control Services
Borne District Council
Civic Centre
Biggerton
Barset BH21 0AA
July 2004
Address of the local authority department dealing with the application, as stated on the site notice/neighbour notification/newspaper advertisement for the planning application, and the date
For the attention of Mr D C Mann, case officer
Name of planning officer dealing with case
Dear Sir / Madam
PLANNING APPLICATION NO 00/0741
Reference
Proposed erection of five houses adjacent to Manor Farm, Back Lane, Small Bere, by Mr E Preneur
One-line summary including what the application proposes, where it is (the site) and who is proposing it (the applicant)
I write in connection with the above planning application. I have examined the plans and I know the site well. I wish to object strongly to the development of these houses in this location.
Interest and general line of person making representation
The Barset Structure Plan aims to concentrate new housing development on brownfield sites in the main towns of the county. Policy RS4 allows only very limited development in the rural settlements, and then only subject to strict criteria - the majority of which are not met in this case.
Reference to relevant policy in the higher level development plan
Small Bere is a dispersed settlement where development proposals should be considered very carefully: infilling could ruin the character of the village whilst estate development would overwhelm it. The protection of Small Bere's visual, historic and archaeological qualities is also supported by Policy C6 in the emerging local development plan document for Borne (awaiting its independent examination) and paragraph 70 of PPG3 states that new housing development in villages will only be suitable if it is designed in keeping with the character of the village
Reference to Government policy and site-specific local development plan policy which, though not yet adopted, is the most recent and has already been consulted on
Pressure for the development in the village is considerable, mainly for housing city commuters, but has been successfully resisted in four similar cases (including two on appeal) in the last five years. The reasons for rejecting those schemes also included the inadequacy of the lanes apart from Main Street to accommodate even small increases in traffic, and because road widening would destroy ancient field boundaries. In addition, there is only one bus a week to Great Bere. The proposal is poorly linked to public transport and is therefore also contrary to both paragraph 47 of PPG3 and paragraph 26 of PPG13. We cannot imagine that you would wish to waste the effort that went into resisting those schemes, or open the floodgates to further speculative proposals contrary to policy.
Reference to Government policy and to 'planning history' - the local authority's previous planning decisions in the area
The proposed siting of the development is particularly unfortunate: it is on a greenfield site used by many villagers and tourists for recreation and walking dogs, and building here would diminish both the striking view into the centre of the village from the Chase Hills and be prominent from most angles within the village. The chalet style design is out of keeping with the village's strong historic character - no other dwelling in the village has a balcony, for instance. Whilst design issues might be solved by conditions or revised proposals, these could not remedy the siting problem.
Reference to other issues which affect the community as a whole, rather than individual interests. You could also mention the parish plan or village design statement, if these exist for your area
Furthermore, there is no need for this kind of housing in the village. Borne District has more than five years' supply of housing land to meet the requirements of its emerging development plan's policy H1. Small Bere already has enough large houses: the only identified need is for affordable housing for residents who work locally, as recently confirmed by your Housing Department's Housing Needs Survey. We would be happy to see a terrace of five houses built on Main Street close to the bus stop, if these were genuinely affordable homes for local people, but Back Lane should be sacrosanct.
Reference to development plan generic development control policy which, though not yet adopted, is the most recent and has already been consulted on; as well as to further issues of concern to the wider community
We understand that the Parish Council and the Biggerton and Environs History Society share these concerns. If this application is to be decided by councillors, please take this as notice that we would like to speak at the meeting of the committee at which this application is expected to be decided. Please let us know as soon as possible the date of the meeting.
Reference to other bodies in the local community who support your position. Formal request to speak at the local planning authority committee meeting at which the application may be decided, ssome local planning authorities require respondents to planning applications to give notice, in their response, of their wish to speak at committee meetings
Yours faithfully,
A. Barsetson
Signature