Planning committee

The planning committee is made up of elected councillors of the City Council who have powers to make decisions on planning applications. They meet every four weeks to consider planning applications which are large or complex, controversial or have had objections made against them.

Members of the public are welcome to attend meetings of the planning committee but should be aware of the protocol for dealing with planning matters.

Not all planning applications are decided by the planning committee - most applications are dealt with by officers. You should ask us how the application you are interested in is to be dealt with.

These meetings are usually held in Room 77 at the Guildhall, Alfred Gelder Street, Hull.

Rules and procedures for speaking at meetings of the planning committee

1. A person does not have to give advance notice of their intention to attend and speak at the meeting.
   
2. A person wishing to speak at the meeting will on arrival at it register their name and address and their interest in the proposal i.e. Applicant, neighbour, interested party.
   
3. Speakers will be permitted to make statements at the sole discretion of the Chair and for a maximum of three minutes each.
   
4. Where more than one person wishes to speak on a proposal the order of business shall be : (1) Neighbours (2) Local Residents Groups' Representative (3) Others (4) Applicant.
   
5. When several people have a similar interest in the application they shall be invited to nominate a principal spokesperson. Subsequent speakers will be permitted to raise additional issues but not to repeat statements on issues already made by previous speakers.
   
6. Speakers will be permitted to make statements only and to give points of clarification.
   
7. The Chair will introduce each item for which speakers are present: a planning officer will then summarise the written report: speakers will be heard; and the committee will proceed to its decision.
   
8. The order of the agenda may be adjusted without notice at the meeting to prioritise those items for which speakers are attending.
   

Planning issues

What you can talk about
The committee can only take account of planning matters.

These are many and varied and there is no exhaustive list. They have to be to do with matters of public interest not private interest, and with the particular planning application being considered. They include -

Planning policies

• The Local Plan 2000 and other approved council plans and policies.
  
• Government guidance notes and circulars.
  

The consequences of development

• The effects on the enjoyment of a house or on the amenities of an area. For example, noise, disturbance, smell, loss of light, traffic, job creation and design can be important.
  
• Effects on road safety, including the need for parking and servicing.
  

The alternatives to permission

• The existing use of a site, and previous planning decisions affecting it.
  
• What conditions could be imposed to made the development acceptable.
  

They do not include -

Private issues

• Boundary disputes between neighbours, which are for them to resolve
  
• Covenants or deeds, which the Council is not a party to, and therefore has no role in
  
• Trade and increased competition objections from existing businesses. The planning system provides for choice and competition
  
• Alleged loss of value of property
  

Opinions of need

• That there are enough (takeaways, pubs, amusement arcades, petrol filling stations etc) in the area already from a trade point of view.

Procedures

• Development having begun already. This has no bearing on the final merits of a planning proposal, and is specifically allowed for by the Act.
  
• Other consents such as licenses, Building Regulation Approval have not been obtained. These have no bearing on the planning issues.
  

Public involvement

The committee welcomes public involvement. However, local opposition or support for a proposal is not in itself a ground for refusing or granting planning permission unless that opposition or support is founded upon valid planning reasons which can be substantiated.
Objections to a planning application from interested parties are not the same as a veto over it, and do not necessarily lead to a refusal of it.

Contact us

Planning reception
Development control
2nd Floor
Kingston House
Bond Street
Hull
HU1 3ER

The reception is open to the public Monday to Thursday 8.30am - 5pm and Fridays 8.30am - 4.30pm.

Email: Dev.Control@hullcc.gov.uk
Tel: (01482) 300 300

For specific planning applications it is best to contact the planning officer allocated to the case. This can be found in the weekly lists of planning applications or from letters sent to you by development control. If you wish to speak to a specific officer it is advisable to phone for an appointment.

Customers who wish to see a planning officer must make an appointment first otherwise we cannot guarantee an officer being available.

Planning officers can be contacted by phone, letter or email.