Can the parish council review an earlier planning decision it made?

Question

Our PC has been asked to review a decision it took at a standard meeting about a planning application, 'in the light of further information'.

We took a decision in March and sent it to the planning officer but we have been asked to review this.

We are still within the time period before the target determination date.


Can we, or have we had our turn?

Answer 1

Who made the request? Is the further information material to the decision? Do you think what parish councils say about planning apps has any influence?

Answer 2

As Statutory Consultees the Parish can make its views known. The Planning Authority (District usually) may have published amendments or re-issued a previous Application for a variety of reasons. As already mentioned it might not make one iota of difference to what the Planning Authority finally decides.

Answer 3

Yes, you can. If the planning authority is asking again for view, then you are entitled to give a view again. One could argue that this falls foul of the standing order (most people have it) that a matter cannot be reconsidered within six months. But if there has been a second request from the planning authority, I would be inclined to regard this as a different matter. Failing that, the council can vote to suspend that standing order. The parish council is, as has been said, a statutory consultee, and although the planning authority is certainly not bound to accept the parish council's opinion, it is a factor that must be taken into account in the final decision. The more carefully the PC states reasons that relate to planning guidelines, the more effective it will be.

Answer 4

A town (or Parish) council can't make a decision, it can only comment to the Local Planning Authority. It can comment more than once and I think has the right to say it has reconsidered.