Planning

Planning Applications and Planning Enforcement

As a consequence of the current Coronavirus pandemic the Council’s Development Control Service are deploying home working extensively and may be working short staffed at times.  Whilst every effort is being made to maintain as normal a service as possible, there will inevitably be some delays in the processing of planning applications, including getting applications validated when they are first submitted. Our methods of carrying out public consultation and consultation with statutory consultees is altered and may be compromised in some cases. This may stall the determination of applications presented to the Council. 

To reduce non-essential contact the service will not be able to meet customers in person. 

Please note that our ability to receive or process hard copy correspondence during the COVID-19 pandemic is reduced. All correspondence should be sent electronically to planningcontrol@northwarks.gov.uk.

Please note that for the duration of Coronavirus restrictions, wherever possible, planning and enforcement officers are not carrying out site visits.  If an Officer deems it necessary to undertake a visit it will only take place where COVID-19 safeguards can be achieved. 

The Planning Duty Officer System, which is normally available on weekday mornings, will continue to operate as long as resources allow but will only respond to email and telephone enquiries.

Meetings of the Planning and Development Board were postponed during lockdown but have now resumed on the basis of Virtual Meetings which are broadcast via the Council’s YouTube Channel. 

We will act on advice from the Government and adjust service accordingly. Please be assured that we continue to work hard to run as smoothly as possible, however, please also appreciate that our services may be impacted in the coming months.

We will post updates when any changes to these operating practices happen.

Coronavirus Planning Appeals Service Update

The Planning Casework Unit (PCU) at MHCLG will be continuing to deal with its regular range of cases. However, as all staff are following the Prime Minister’s advice aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19 and are largely working from home, PCU will not be able to receive or process hard copy correspondence.

All correspondence for the Unit should be sent electronically to:

• PCC@communities.gov.uk for recovered appeals and applications which have been called in by the Secretary of State.
• PCU@communities.gov.uk for all other case types.

Building Control
For Building Control updates please visit https://centralbc.org.uk/covid-19-update/