We have a number of procedures currently in place to involve the public in considering planning applications and in developing Planning Policies. These are explained in our Statement of Community Involvement.

When planning applications are made it may affect particular people, this will usually be people living in neighbouring properties. A letter is sent to people living in neighbouring properties letting them know about the application, although anybody can comment if they wish. To find out about the matters that we can take account view our Matters Taken into Account webpage.

Who Decides Planning Applications?

The majority of planning applications are decided by the Development Control Manager or the Strategic Sites and Design Manager on behalf of Ashford Borough Council.  Before making a decision, the application site will have been visited by one of the case officers who will make a recommendation to either manager having carefully considered a number of issues, including all of the issues raised by local people when they have written to us.  A number of applications are considered by our members at the regular Planning Committee meetings. To find out more view our Decisions and Appeals webpage.

If the application is being considered by the Committee then you may be able to speak at the Committee.

Concerned about a Planning Application? Have Your Say!

You are entitled to attend and speak at meetings of the Council, and its Committees and listen to the debates in relation to applications for planning permission.  If the application is considered by the Planning Committee or Council you may attend either or both meetings to speak for or against the application. The following procedure will apply in all cases.

Please be reminded that the onus is on the applicant to find out when their application is to go to the Planning Committee or Council. You are NOT able to speak in relation to Tree Preservation Orders and/or Enforcement Action.

To help matters run smoothly and to ensure that as many people as possible have a chance to participate, here are a few simple rules that you must follow:

1. You must give written notice by 3pm two working days before the meeting, (for example for a Wednesday meeting this would be 3pm on Monday), using the Request to Speak online form.
2. You must restrict your speech to 3 minutes so please keep to the subject of the application.
3. You must make sure that the application you wish to comment upon is an item on the agenda for the meeting you are going to attend.
4. You are not allowed to ask questions or enter into the debate.
5. You must confine your comments to Planning Issues only (for further advice on what constitutes a Planning Issue, please view our guidance webpage.)
6. Before the meeting, if there is a group of you, agree who is going to be the spokesperson. Only one person will normally be permitted to speak in support and one against an application, in addition to receiving the views, where appropriate, of the Parish or Town Council.
7. During your speech, you are not permitted to refer to the conduct of officers or members or to the manner in which an application has been dealt with.  The Council has a separate complaints procedure in place to deal with these issues.
8. You are not allowed to request that the Committee or Council (if appropriate) visits the application site.
9. If the application you wish to comment on is an “Exempt” item, i.e. an item during the consideration of which the public may be excluded from the meeting, you may be permitted to speak with the consent of the Committee (or Council if appropriate) before the public are excluded.
10. The Chairman of the Planning Committee (or Council if appropriate) has sole discretion as to whether a person is entitled to speak or not and retains overall responsibility for the smooth running of the meeting.  His/her decision on procedural matters must be adhered to.

After a Decision is Made

A copy of the decision notice is issued to the applicant and we publish a copy on our Planning Decisions webpage. We also write to all those people who have written to us about the application letting them know what our decision is.