At Parish Council level

You have the right to speak at the at Parish Council Meetings.
The Parish Council is consulted on all planning appliactions in the Hempnall parish and some bourdering thereon. You are welcome to attend and speak for or against any application at any Parish Council meeting (click here for dates) in the public participation session near the beginning of the meeting, you may leave the meeting anytime thereafter, however you would be welcome to stay for the whole meeting if you wish.

At District Council level

You have the right to speak at the South Norfolk Council's planning meetings.
The following tells you how the scheme operates.

Who can speak at the meeting?

Anybody who wishes to object to, or support, an application. Public speaking is not allowed during consideration of enforcement matters.

How can I find out when an application will be considered?

Telephone the area planning team as soon as possible for the date when the application is likely to be considered by the committee. The case officer and area team handling the application is identified in the letter we would have sent to you.

The dates, times and location of the District Council's planning meetings can be found here.

Note: Always ring a few days before a meeting date to check if the application you are interested in is on the agenda and is still to be considered at the meeting (some applications are withdrawn by the applicant, others may be included even though the period of publicity has not expired).

Do I need to attend the meeting to make my comments known to the committee?

No - if the planning officer's recommendation is the same as your view, you may decide that there is no need to attend the meeting and speak. Where your views differ from the officer recommendation and we have received your written comments, they will be reported to the committee before a decision is taken. However, the officer recommendation is not always agreed by the committee so it could be worthwhile coming to the meeting to speak even if you agree with what the officer is saying. If the period for publicity has not expired any decision will be subject to there being no new comments received.

How do I arrange to speak at the meeting?

Simply attend the meeting and raise your hand immediately the application you are interested in is announced by the chairman of the meeting - if necessary, state clearly, "I wish to speak". You will be asked to give your name and if you wish to speak in favour or against the officer recommendation.

When and for how long can I speak?

Applications will be considered in the order in which they appear on the agenda. It is not possible to tell you when a particular application will be heard as the time taken to consider applications varies. As a result you should be prepared to attend the meeting for at least 2 - 2.5 hours. Each application will be presented in the following way:

Initial comments by the planning officer followed by representations From:

The town or parish council - up to 5 minutes for member(s) or clerk.

Objector(s) - any number of speakers up to 5 minutes in total.

The applicant, or agent and any supporter(s) - any number of speakers up to 5 minutes in total.

The chairman of the meeting has discretion to increase the number of speakers or time allowed in cases of exceptional public interest.

Any member or officer may ask questions of each speaker - confined to points of clarification or relevant planning considerations to make sure the meeting has properly understood the points being made. Speakers will not be allowed to question other speakers.

Members of the committee will then discuss the merits of the application and, if necessary, request further information from the planning officer before taking a decision.

You may find it helpful to get together with other objectors or supporters to present your views or choose a spokesperson. This will ensure that all your views can be heard in the time available. The chairman will ask you to stop speaking if you exceed the time allowed.

What can I say at the meeting?

Please try to be brief and to the point. Limit your views to the planning application and relevant planning issues, for example:

Planning policy, (conflict with policies in the Local Plan/Structure Plan, government guidance and planning case law), including previous decisions of the Council, etc.

Design, appearance and layout, possible loss of light or overshadowing, noise disturbance and smell nuisance.

Impact on residential and visual amenity, highway safety and traffic issues.

Impact on trees/conservation area/listed buildings/environmental or nature conservation issues.

Are there any issues not relevant in reaching a decision?

Yes, but at South Norfolk we want to hear all your views about the application proposal, whatever they might be, even if some of your comments cannot be taken
into account by the committee when the decision is made.

Can I use maps or photographs to illustrate my point?

Yes, but please try to rely upon the plans and photographs on the public file, which will be displayed at the meeting by the planning officer. You will have to provide a copy of any additional information used for the planning file.

Will a decision be made at the meeting?

Most applications will be determined at the committee. Occasionally, members may defer a decision to the next meeting to allow time to get further information, to carry out negotiations or to visit the site.

You will have another chance to speak when the application is reconsidered. Some applications may also be referred to the bimonthly planning meeting at Long Stratton for a decision. You also have the right to speak at this meeting.

And finally

Many applications for planning and other similar permissions do not raise any problems or result in local objections. These applications can be approved by the Council's officers under delegated powers without bringing them to committee. The right to speak scheme does not apply in these cases.

Who do I contact for more information?
The planning team for your area : South-west Team 01508 533832
South Norfolk Council Help Desk : 01508 533633
E-mail : planning.snc@dial.pipex.com
Or write to the : Chief Planning Officer South Norfolk Council Long Stratton Norwich NR15 2XE.