Planning

Under section 21 of the Local Government and Rating Act 1997, Parish or Town councils have a statutory right to be notified of all planning matters within the community and a right to comment on them. The public is often under the misapprehension that the parish can refuse planning applications. However, the Council can only comment. The final decision is taken by the District Council who sometimes go against the comments of the Parish Council.

Because the village of Althorne is relatively small it does not receive sufficient planning applications to justify a separate planning sub committee, therefore; planning applications are handled in line with the following procedure:

Planning applications are received by the Parish Council, with details of the timescale in which to respond. Upon receipt, the Clerk enters the details in a 'Planning Book' kept for the purpose.

The following particulars of every planning application are entered:-

a) the date on which it was received

b) the name of the applicant

c) the place to which it relates;

The Clerk notifies all Councillors of every planning application received within 48 hours of receipt, detailing the timescale for responses.

Councillors visit the Parish Council office and review the planning applications, and make comment in the 'Planning Book' regarding each planning application within the specified time scale.  Comments must include the phrase “I support” or “I object because (give reasons)” or I am unable to comments because (give reasons)” or “I am not commenting on this application”.

All Planning applications are judged on their own merits with reference and regard to the policies in the Maldon District Replacement Local Plan 2005

The Clerk enters the planning application details on the agenda of the next regular monthly Council meeting. At the Council meeting, the Council determines the overall decision based upon the individual Councillors comments, and the Council instructs the Clerk to send the appropriate response to Maldon District Council Planning. Where there is a difference of opinion the Council takes the view of the majority; if less than three Councillors have commented (not a quorum) the Clerk is instructed to return a response of “unable to comment” to the Planning Office; if there is a tied decision the Chairman has the casting vote.

When the required response time requires the response to be made before the next regular Council meeting, the Chairman may call an extra ordinary meeting to determine the decision of the Council and instruct the Clerk to send the appropriate response.

When the village has completed the 'Village Design Statement' Councillors will take the opinions expressed in the document into consideration when making their decisions.

Residents do not have to go to the District Council offices to view any planning applications, they can be viewed at the Parish Council offices in the Parish Hall, Summerhill, on Tuesdays between 12.30 and 2.30pm, or, by appointment with the Clerk at other times when it is convenient to the Clerk.

It is always better if residents, who have a particular objection to a planning application, write a personal letter to Maldon District Council Planning Department, Princes Road, Maldon, CM9 5DL, detailing their reason for objecting. as all letters are taken into consideration when decisions are made.

Below is the map for Althorne from the 'Maldon District Replacement Local Plan 2005', which shows the current development boundaries (the two areas within the areas outlined in dark blue) and the special landscape and protection areas applicable to the parish.

More information on the special areas:

C1 (see map) is a specific 'Ramsar Site', a 'Special Protection Area' and a 'Site of Special Scientific Interest'

Ge2 (see map) is a specific 'Site of Special Scientific Interest'

Find out more about 'Article 4 Direction' and The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, covering Article 4 directions

Find out more about 'Candidate Special Area of Conservation (SAC)'

Find out more about 'Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI's)'

Find out more about 'Special Protection Areas (SPA's)'.

Find out more about 'Special Landscape Areas (SLA's)'

Find out more about ' Wildlife Sites (WS)'

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Last modified: December 02, 2011