Who decides your application?

A case officer makes initial investigations into your application and then considers findings against established planning policies.

If changes can be made to improve the proposal or make it acceptable, he or she will negotiate with the applicant. Sometimes a proposal is not acceptable and cannot be made acceptable by changes.

A decision may be made by officers under our Scheme of Delegated Powers or before the monthly Planning Committee. The case officer prepares a report for consideration by committee members which is available five working days before the meeting.

The Government encourages planning authorities to use delegated powers. This speeds up decision making and enables the Planning Committee to concentrate on major applications and those which raise objections which can't be resolved or issues of policy. Our Code of Practice for Planning Decisions details this process.

When a decision is made we issue a decision notice to the applicant and/or agent which will either:

• Grant planning permission without conditions
• Grant planning permission with conditions
• Refuse planning permission.

A copy is held on the application file, viewable through the Public Access search portal. If planning permission is subject to planning conditions, these will be monitored.

If planning permission is refused

If you find the decision to refuse planning permission, or grant it subject to conditions, unacceptable you have the right to appeal.