Planning

PARISHONERS MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW THAT THIS PAGE IS ACKNOWLEDGED, BY BROADLAND DISTRICT COUNCIL, AS A DEFINITIVE EXPLANATION OF PLANNING PROCEDURE. IT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED IN BDC'S 'PARISH PAGES' PUBLICATION, WHICH IS DISTRIBUTED TO ALL PARISH COUNCILS IN THEIR DISTRICT.

How Local Planning Procedure Works

Who Makes The Decisions?

The principal planning authority, for the parish of Great & Little Plumstead, (including Thorpe End Garden Village), is Broadland District Council. All planning applications are made to the district council, which then consults the parish council; seeking their opinion on all applications made on properties within the parish. The parish council is only consulted, by the district council; it does not have the power to grant, or refuse, planning permission. The district council may uphold the parish council's opinion; or reject it. However, whenever the district council decision differs, from the opinion expressed by the parish council, it usually explains the reason to the parish council.

How Are Applications Are Processed? Houses under construction

The district council's planning committee decides on applications, which are of a major nature. Their decision may, in most instances, be appealed against by the applicant. The more minor planning applications, such as house extensions, are mostly decided by the district council's planning officials, under what are called 'delegated powers'. New rules for Householder Permitted Development came into force on 1st October 2008; these have significantly altered what development can, and cannot, be done to a residential property without requiring planning permission. (View the pdf file, giving more information on these changes, by clicking on the panel in the top-right corner of this page.

There is a procedure whereby any planning application determined by a district council planning officer, under these delegated powers, may be 'called-in', for a decision to be made by the planning committee. The prerogative for 'calling-in' an application rests with the appropriate district councillor. Great & Little Plumstead Parish Council, on very rare occasions, may request the district councillor to 'call-in' a planning application. This procedure is only invoked when the parish council feels the application is of such a nature that it considers the interests of the local community is best served by having it decided by the district council's planning committee, rather than being decided under 'delegated powers.'

There is nothing to prevent any parishioner requesting their district councillor to have a planning application 'called-in', but before doing so the district councillor will need to be convinced that there is justification for such an action to be taken; the district councillor will have to present a convincing argument, to the district planning department, that such a move is justified. All applicants have the statutory right to appeal against any planning decision made by the district council and you are advised to seek the assistance of the district council's planning department, to learn about the procedures and time-tables involved with planning appeals.

How Do I Find Out About Planning Applications?

Planning applications for Great Plumstead, Little Plumstead and Thorpe End are many and varied and it is not possible to list them on this website. It is very difficult, not being the planning authority, for the parish council website to keep this list up-to-date. Perusal of the parish council meeting minutes, published on this website, will enable you to obtain details of local applications considered the council and its decision. Within the minutes you will also find BDC decisions, on local planning applications, which appear under the heading 'District Councillor's Report'.

Visit BROADLAND PLANNING and select from the options available, for full details of all applications made. You will be able to view all the planning applications; not only for this parish, but for the entire Broadland District Council area. You are able to peruse not just only the current planning applications and decisions, but also the ones made in recent past years. Owners of adjoining, or nearby, properties likely to be affected by a planning application are usually notified about the application, by the district council and are invited to comment on the application. Copies of all planning applications can be viewed at the Broadland District Council Offices. This is the best way for a parishioner to peruse any application. The copies issued to the parish council are usually in circulation, being passed between the parish councillors, right up to the time of the next council meeting. For this reason it is not always possible for the parish council to make them conveniently available to parishioners.

How Can I Have My Say?

Any parishioner is entitled to make representation to the district, or parish, council about any application. This may be made either in writing to either, or both, councils. In the case of the parish council you may also make personal representation at a council meeting. The parish council welcomes parishioners' comments; either for, or against, any planning application.

Written representations should be addressed to: