Background

1. This protocol has been prepared to identify circumstances in which either Members of Development Control Committee, or other Members of the Council, can request for a site inspection prior to the determination of a planning application.

2. Requests for site inspections should only be made at the Development Control Committee as part of the debate on any particular planning application. There is no mechanism for Members to request a Committee site inspection of an application which is to be determined by officers under the provision of the delegation arrangements.

3. Site inspections play a valuable role in the determination of planning applications. They allow Committee Members to inspect the site first-hand and to appreciate the issues raised by the applicant, objectors and planning officers. Correctly used site inspections can enhance the decision-making process, can enhance public confidence in the development control process and can avoid any suggestion that the Committee was making decisions on the basis of inadequate information.

4. Committee site inspections should, however, never be used to delay the processing of an application, to replace the need for accurate plans to be submitted with the application, to placate local residents or directly in response to a request from an objector taking up his or her public speaking opportunity at the Committee meeting.

Procedure for Requesting a Committee Site Inspection

5. In making their requests for a Committee site inspection, Members should clearly indicate the purpose to be achieved by the proposed visit.

6. The following list is not intended to be a definitive and exclusive list of criteria appropriate for Committee site inspections. Nevertheless, the following list of criteria sets out the type of applications that frequently lend themselves to site inspections by the Committee:-

(a) applications where a Committee site inspection would allow Members to assess the impact of a proposal on the amenity of neighbouring properties where that impact is not obvious from the application drawings.

(b) applications where a Committee site inspection would allow Members to assess and/or understand the comments of consultees.

(c) applications where a Committee site inspection would allow Members to assess the impact of the design, scale and massing of a proposal either in the local streetscene, or in the wider environment.

Other Information

7. This protocol should be read in association with the protocol on the Organisation of Development Control Committee Site Inspections.