Councillor involvement in pre-apps

New Service for Councillor Involvement in Pre-application and Pre-decision Engagement

Councillors can have an important role in pre-application discussions, particularly on more significant proposals.

Getting councillors involved early can help to identify whether the proposal is likely to be broadly acceptable or not, and draw out any key issues that could usefully be addressed and resolved before an application is submitted.

From 01 August 2024, the Council is providing a new service to allow for councillor engagement. This service is offered for the following types of development proposals:

Large-scale major developments – 100 houses or more or 10,000 square metres of non-residential floor space which, by their nature (e.g. scale, location etc.) have wider strategic implications and raise issues of more than local importance.
Other applications which, by their nature (e.g. scale, location, type of development), in the opinion of the Strategic Director of Community and Place Delivery or the Development Manager, raise concerns which have District-wide implications.

A full protocol to support this service has been created: Protocol for Councillor Involvement in Pre-apps.

How to request use of this service

To initiate the process, the applicant should write to or email the Development Manager through planning@stalbans.gov.uk. Alternatively the Development Manager may suggest to the developer that they enter into this process. Alternatively, requests may be made during the negotiation of a Planning Performance Agreement.
Officers, in consultation with the Chair of the Planning (Development Management) Committee, will decide whether or not to enter into pre-application or pre-decision engagement.
The applicant will be informed within 7 working days of their request if it has been agreed.
If the request has been agreed, the applicant will be asked to submit relevant information including location plan, relevant plans and supporting information outlining key issues as appropriate.
Once this information has been received, officers will schedule the proposal for an informal briefing. Members of the Planning (Development Management) Committee, Ward Councillors and Representatives from any relevant Parish/Town Council/amenity group/resident group will be invited and given a minimum of 5 working days notice.

Meeting Structure

The Chair will introduce the purpose of the briefing and advise how it will be conducted. They will reiterate that the purpose of the discussion is fact finding and for clarification of the main issues relating to the proposed development. They will remind members with regard to the need for probity and that members must not predetermine any matter under discussion. A record of the outcome of the meeting will be made and such record may be subject to an application for disclosure under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 or the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Officers will confirm that the discussions will not bind the Council to make a particular decision and that views or opinions expressed are made without prejudice to the future consideration of any application.
The applicant will present their proposal (up to 15 minutes). This should include a strategy for future engagement with ward members and the local community.
The Planning Officers will be given the opportunity to provide comments and advise members of the planning issues or policies that need to be considered (up to 10 minutes).
Councillors/Representatives will then have the opportunity to ask questions and seek clarification (up to 30 minutes).
Officers will make a record of the discussion. This note of the discussion will be placed on the application file at the earliest possible opportunity (taking account of the need for commercial confidentiality). The involvement of members in the briefing will be recorded in any subsequent committee report. A copy of the note will be sent to the applicant.

All councillors who are engaged in this process must remember that they cannot take part in any decisions relating to a future application on the proposal if there is any suggestion that they have already made up their mind to be for or against the proposal (i.e., they have a closed mind), or they give the impression of this, even if they do not in fact have a closed mind. The discussion should not be used for negotiations with the developer - these should take place with officers separately from the meeting.

Meeting Dates Available

The Council has arranged a number of dates to support this new service which are as follows:

19 August 2024 - 7pm
16 September 2024 - 7pm
28 October 2024 - 7pm
18 November 2024 - 7pm
27 January 2025 - 7pm
17 February 2025 - 7pm
24 March 2025 - 7pm
14 April 2025 - 7pm
26 May 2025 - 7pm

Cost

The fee for using this service is £600 plus VAT per session.