Planning and Development – Development Issues
The Planning Process
In Spelthorne this is very much "Development led" not "Planning led". By this we mean that local developments are brought forward by developers rather than as the result of the Council working in partnership to meet defined needs. There are examples of the design led approach - for example Stanwell New Start - and these developments involve communities more and get a higher level of local acceptance.
The Planning process is skewed in favour of the developer. As the applicant, they have the right to define the application and then discuss the technical and legal issue with the Planning Department. In this way the developer can put together an application that will be hard to refuse. These discussions can go on for many months behind the protection of "commercial confidentiality" and local councillors are not allowed to know about them. While some forward thinking Councils are challenging the right of developers to do this you can be assured that Spelthorne is not one of them.
Local residents do not have the parallel rights: we can't engage with the Planning Department to oppose a development; we can't ask for plans to be amended. In short we have no way to properly engage with the planning process before a plan is put forward for approval. When an application comes before the Planning Committee, the only options are to grant or refuse it.
Local residents have almost no voice in what developments are undertaken in their area. Usually the first thing residents know about a development is the statutory notices which follow the formal application. At this stage the details have been decided and for all practical purposes it is too late to effect any meaningful changes to the planned scheme.
Despite this powerlessness it is essential that where local residents do not want a development to proceed they write in to formally object to the application. This can be done via the Council website, via email or as a letter. You should also make sure that your local Ward Councillors and possibly all members of the Planning Committee know how you feel.