CLOUD NEWSBRIEF NO 69 : 15 June 2020
NEWSBRIEF SUMMARY
Planning Meetings during coronavirus lockdown.
Planning Application for 55 houses East of Ashton Road, North of Pinewood Close.
Other planning applications and developments
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Planning meetings during coronavirus lockdown.
As reported in Newsbrief 68 in May we submitted a Freedom of Information request to Lancaster city council asking how local citizens could make their views heard at planning meetings during the coronavirus lockdown.
The council’s response on 6 June 2020 is laid out below:
Freedom of Information Request - Ref: FOI 3329
Thank you for your request received on 1st May 2020 in which you asked for the following information from Lancaster City Council:
Could you confirm whether should, as seems likely, lockdown continues whether the public can access the video link.
Will it still be possible for the public to speak at planning meetings?
Could you also clarify how decisions will be made?
Will major strategic planning decisions go before councillors or will they be made by officers?
How will consultations be carried out?
How are meetings publicised and what information are the public given to be able to see and hear them?
Are people able to see and hear meetings after the event?
Your request has been handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).
Response
Yes, using Microsoft Teams. The agenda and minutes page for each remote meeting has a link for the public to follow which allows them to see and hear the meeting. Links are published after the agenda, usually a couple of days before each meeting.
Yes, either by Teams or via phone call. Members of the public will be able to make representations to the planning committee with prior notice. The written representations should not take longer than 3 minutes to read out.
As usual. Officers will present their reports, representations on the proposals will be heard (if prior notice received) and members of the committee will vote on the proposal. Decisions will be voted on by roll-call, rather than show of hands.
Planning decisions would still be made in accordance with the Council’s Scheme of Delegation, which is set out in its Constitution.
As normal via notification letters, in accordance with the statutory requirements
On City Council website www.lancaster.gov.uk under ‘meetings’.
No, meetings are live streamed only.
If you have any queries or concerns about this response, please contact this office. For details of how to appeal a decision we have made, see below.
Email: info@lancaster.gov.uk
Cloud welcomes the clarification and suggested the following in an on 9 June 2020:
We suggest that until full face to face Planning meetings resume this outline of practice in handling Planning Applications should be posted prominently on the Planning website, to ensure members of the public are aware of procedures.
Secondly we suggest that anyone who has commented on a planning application that is ongoing or likely to be considered while face to face Planning Meetings are suspended should be contacted and provided with this information.
No reply has been received yet.
2. Planning Application for 55 houses East of Ashton Road, North of Pinewood Close 20/00305/OUT https://planning.lancaster.gov.uk/online-applications/simpleSearchResults.do?action=firstPage
A planning application has been made for the field north of Pinewood Close, east of Ashton Rd, for 55 dwellings. This is one of the two fields Story Homes applied to develop several years ago when planning permission was refused. At the current time they are just applying to develop the one field, the one closest to town, though much of the scoping information makes reference to 140 homes across two sites, so it seems likely that the second site will be applied for later on.
No date yet for going to planning meeting as some delays due to Covid-19. The meeting may be a virtual one as above.
Other Planning Applications and Developments.
Here is a roundup of the situation regarding other planning applications and potential developments. The very large Gladmans’ planning application for land NE of Bailrigg Lane has still not been given a planning committee date and the latest advice we have from the city planners is that this is unlikely to be before August. We have no further news on Ward Field Farm. Story Homes continue to be interested in Grab Lane. In addition local residents have reported meeting surveyors or other agents acting on behalf of (1) Peel Holdings and the Whinney Carr site and (2) Aldcliffe Estates around Bailrigg Lane.
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