Masterplan Consent Area Regulations: consultation responses summary

Question 13

Question 13A) To what extent do you agree with the proposals for those who must be given an opportunity to appear before and be heard by a committee of the planning authority at a hearing as set out within Draft Regulations 5(2) and (3)?

Responses to Question 13A are set out by respondent type in Table 12 below.

A total of 52 respondents answered this question. A majority – 75% of those who answered the question – strongly agreed or agreed with the proposals for who must be given an opportunity to appear before and be heard by a committee of the planning authority at a hearing. Of those who responded 1.9% disagreed and 23.1% remained neutral. Organisations were more likely to agree or strongly agree than Community and Individual respondents, at 65.4% and 50% respectively. There were high levels of agreement across all respondent groups, apart from Key Agency & Other Public Sector who had a lower level of agreement (33%).

Question 13B) Please explain your view.

37 respondents provided further comment at Question 13B.

Summary /Themes

The responses were generally supportive with the proposals for who must be given an opportunity to appear before and be heard by a committee of the planning authority at a hearing. Those supporting the proposals acknowledged they were aligned with the approach to be taken with respect to planning applications. Supportive comments also referenced that this seemed a fair approach which would allow communities to be heard and provide an opportunity for councillors to understand issues.

Three Planning Authorities requested guidance including further clarity on the hearing procedure. Two Development, Property & Land Management sector & Agent respondents suggested that allowance should be made for parties who did not submit a valid representation to appear and be heard at a hearing.

One respondent felt there is potential for there to be “a time and resourcing issue associated with this process.”