To want information on this development from parish council?

[ruthboros]

We live in a small village all of which is in a conservation area. It’s very beautiful and a special place. In the latest parish mag the parish council published plans for two major developments of new homes which are proportionately very large. I do a bit of digging and find out the chairman of the parish council is a property developer who did an estate in the next village. So I email him asking about the development, who is behind it, what will it be etc and is he involved himself and if so what’s being done to avoid conflicts of interest on the council. He refused to reply and say he will only address these issues face to face with the whole parish council there. AIBU to feel a bit suspicious about why he won’t answer simple questions without holding a meeting?

It's the district council that will give planning permission (or not) - the parish council will only be one consultee. The district council will have all the details of the application and it is available on line.

Agree with lidoshuffle that although the Parish Council may look at the application (and the Chair should not be involved in the discussion or vote if he is involved with it or knows the people that are) it's the District Council that it will have been submitted to. Look it up on there because that should give you the details of who has submitted it.

Parish Councils hold meetings that the public can attend, check to see when the next one is.

The county council gives planning permission. And when the parish council discussed the issue, the chair (if he’s involved) would have to declare a conflict of interest and step outside, he wouldn’t be allowed to participate in the discussion. If you want more info about the plans you need to contact the planning dept of the county council, or look online if they have a planning portal.

Thanks for your answers. That’s what I thought, Parish council has no powers (from Google!) so why couldn’t he just say that? Seems odd to insist on a meeting on 1 April and refuse to say anything before that! We will easily find out if he’s behind one or both of the planned developments anyway by looking up the planning applications.

He almost certainly is but these people are very clever at making you out to be the unreasonable one for asking the question.

Where I live there is an ongoing quest to build a "new village" about 3 miles away (on completely green field site). It is not needed because a brownfield site is now being developed instead but for some reason local councillors won't take this other development off the table as an option, despite massive local opposition. However, a councillor at district level is a board director of the proposed developer. But when someone pointed that out in a local FB group he was completely rounded on by everyone saying how she wasn't doing anything untoward. Of course there is a conflict. And in her case the council is the decision maker.

@VelvetPineapple it won't be the county council unless it's minerals and waste or an application for a road generally.

It would be processed by borough/district council initially but if greenbelt or otherwise controversial may be referred upwards. Does it form part of a Local Plan?

Did you write to the chair in his capacity on pc or personally? If the former and it involved procedural or conflict of interest queries it would be entirely appropriate for this to be discussed at a council meeting open to residents.

County councils determine all planning applications throughout the UK. They each create a county plan, they have a planning dept, a highways dept, etc. Not just roads, waste and minerals. Everything. The parish council is just a consultee who gives their input but has no power over the final decision.

No, it is district council here. Op, have you reviewed minutes of previous pc meetings to check for any declarations of interest when this has been discussed. These are a matter of public record.

&velvet pineapple - that just isn't right. County councils do not determine planning applications in normal cases - it is the district council.

The county council is a statutory consultee which requires elements of transport planning and providing advice to districts.

It’s the Borough council here who pass planning - not the county council. But I think we can all agree it’s not Parish council.

We don’t have districts or boroughs. Most counties don’t as far as I know? Perhaps big cities are different. Regardless, the parish council has no power. OP you can turn up at the next parish council meeting and put your queries to them directly, your comments will be minuted by the parish clerk and they will have to respond.

Velvet, maybe you are getting confused with unitary authorities (a few larger, merged councils that have both county and district functions) or large city boroughs?

County councils per se don't determine planning applications or set the local plan for a district.

Our county council does.

No velvet it really doesn’t. There are no county councils in England that determine planning.

You may live in an area (as said) where you have a unitary authority which covers the functions of district and county council.

OP If you google your area and council you’ll get the city/district council and can find your local councillor. Do contact them and check that this development is being assessed by the planning committee (some developments are just passed by officers, though this would be unusual for a larger one that could be contentious)

Velvet - unless you are in a unitary authority, or not in England, you are incorrect. For the vast majority of England it is the Local Council that determines most planning applications (District/Borough/London Borough).

OP - is this just a proposal, not a formal application? I am wondering whether it is part of the creation of a Neighbourhood Development Plan. Parish Councils are usually heavily involved in their formation and such plans can include the allocation of sites for housing. If a site is allocated for housing within a Neighbourhood Development Plan, if a subsequent application were to come forward, the principle of the development would already be accepted - it would only be the details of hte proposal up for consideration (size, style, layout, highway issues etc).

In some areas (e.g. Cornwall) the County Council is the Unitary Authority and is responsible for everything. Non-metropolitan counties take some decisions at a county level and others at district level.

Metropolitan counties have very limited powers now, having no council, and only responsible (through joint boards) for things like police and fire services. Planning is solely the responsibility of the metropolitan borough.

And then London is a bit different again.

But the point still stands that Parish councils have no planning responsibility, though they are a consultee, and if they support a development it can make a difference to getting planning.

Handy map.

Velvet - tell us where you are and we'll see if you're right

I would look at your district council planning portal and see the details of the application. You should be able to respond to it online as well. You might also want to get in touch with the planning officer handling the application.
I would also go to the next PC meeting and raise this issue when the meeting opens to public questions.
As an ex chair of a PC, it is frustrating that locals only get exercised by issues like this, but never get involved in the day to day stuff or even attend meetings. If you don’t like how things are being run, get involved and don’t let those with a vested interest have so much control. This developer was probably involved in agreeing your village plan, and I’m betting they agreed to building X number of new homes to help the DC achieve their government housing quota.

whatsthecomingoverthehill yes we are a unitary authority in my area.

All lovely conservation areas have to have a certain amount of new houses. Protest all you like but it will happen.

That's why your area is different then velvet. Many counties are divides into Brough/District Councils who are the Local Planning Authority. The County just determines waste and mineral applications.

Being a pedant, the county council will also determine Reg 3 applications which is buildings on their own land for their own use eg schools/libraries. But in general it is the district or a unitary authority, not county or parish who will do planning. County is a statutory consultee though.

Agree Fazackerley, and some will be social and affordable housing. The benefit from a local pov is that a developer will have to pay a Community Infrastructure Levy which is used to add or upgrade local amenities and infrastructure.