Can a parish council change its position on a planning application?

Question

The scenario is, a parish council has commented 'no objection' to a planning application, based on personal opinion rather than valid planning reasons. The application has been refused by planning committee but is now being taken to appeal. The individuals who forced through the previous parish council decision have now left and the new group of councillors are keen to provide a new response based on local and national planning restrictions. Can this be done? Can the PC submit a revised comment at the appeal stage?

Answer 1

Generally a parish council can only change a decision taken within six months of the original decision if new information has come to light which renders the original decision a nonsense but your standing orders will include how this must take place.  However, aside from that, where a planning matter goes to appeal I believe it is not possible to introduce anything new to that process.  Check with your principal authority.

Comments

There is a chance to submit further comments. When the local planning authority receives notification of an appeal, it must notify all consultees and any other person who made representations on the original application within 5 days. The local notification must include full details of the process for submitting further information via the Planning Inspectorate online system and the deadline for doing so.

I have used this system on occasion to reinforce the objections submitted previously, although I've never been asked to reverse a decision.