On Saturday 31 October 2026, a national scheme of delegation will come into force. This sets national rules for which planning applications must be decided by planning officers, and which may be decided by elected councillors through a planning committee.
These changes do not impact on who is consulted on any planning application or how their comments are considered. Details of this can be found within the council’s Statement of Community Involvement (2025).
For more details on how to comment on a planning application, look at which comments or objections are considered.
The Planning Committee
The Planning Committee meets monthly and is made up of councillors from all parts of the borough. It usually meets on a Thursday evening at 6:30pm in the council chamber at Time Square.
You are welcome to attend this committee and listen to the debate.
You can also watch the meeting online.
View dates and more information about the Planning Committee.
The conduct of members in relation to the consideration of planning matters is governed by the council's planning protocol.
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Council planning protocol
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Public speaking at the Planning Committee
Only planning applications with 10 or more objections are eligible for public speaking.
Anyone who has contributed towards the application will be informed if the application is going to committee and if it is eligible for public speaking.
Only one person can speak for the application and one person against. They will only have 3 minutes each to speak and state their case. Who speaks for and against is for the public, who register through customer services, to decide between themselves.
To speak at the committee meeting you must register with the council by midday at least 3 working days before the day of the meeting (for example, midday on the preceding Monday for a Thursday meeting). The following guide provides details of how to register to speak.
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