Planning application changes for Worthing and Adur
Planning committees in Adur and Worthing will have less say over some applications under new national rules coming into force next month.
The changes mean certain types of planning applications will be decided by council officers, while others will only go before councillors in limited circumstances.
The new rules, known as the National Scheme of Delegation, are due to come into force on October 31.
The Government has said the changes aim to make the planning system clearer and more consistent, while committees focus on the major applications. The government’s guidance for local planning authorities says: “Committees should focus on the key proposals that matter to an area, enabling other, often more minor and technical, decisions to be made by planning officers.”
The councils’ report warns that change could be particularly noticeable in Worthing and Adur because they deal with relatively few large applications compared to other bigger authorities.
At the moment both councils automatically send major developments, including plans for more than ten homes or commercial schemes of more than 1,000 square metres of floorspace, straight to the planning committee.
The new rules would mean that some applications that currently go before the committees would instead be decided by planning officers.
Ward councillors will also no longer be able to call applications into the committee under the existing local rules, such as when a number of objections have been received.
The report from the council says an application would only be referred to the planning committee if it raises a significant economic, social or environmental issue or planning matter.
It also warns that the councils could face a judicial review if an application is taken to the committee without meeting the new requirements.
The proposed route and timeframe to amend the councils’ constitution will be discussed at the Joint Audit and Governance Committee on September 22, before being considered by Adur’s full council on October 22 and Worthing’s on October 20.
The Government announced plans for changes to planning committees in December 2024, with an aim for 90 to 95 per cent of applications to be delegated to officers.