Worthwhile Pre-application
Engagement
Phillipa Silcock
10th and 19th June 2014
www.pas.gov.uk
Pre-apps: the conundrum
• Here to talk about discussing
development proposals before they
enter the formal planning system
• Given: creating a chance to talk while
the proposal is still fluid is ‘good’
• But, it’s a discretionary part of the
planning process and
• The discussion has to be worthwhile
for people to be bothered doing it
Objectives for today
• To think about what makes a worthwhile preapplication discussion
• To share some good practice from councils who
have been working on creating an attractive
offer for early discussions
• To look at the workbook
• To go away with some aims
for the improvement of your
offer to prospective applicants
Agenda – morning
• 10 commitments across the sector
• Speakers from Turley, a developer’s view
of worthwhile pre-app discussions
• Croydon or Kirklees council’s preapplication offer
• PPAs in Islington or Camden
Agenda – afternoon
• PAS, Calculating the cost of preapplication services
• Involving councillors and communities in
pre-app discussions – in Cheshire East
and Cheshire West and Chester Councils
• PAS Planning Quality Framework
Not just listening…..
• Pre-applications Suite
• Discussions on your tables
– Your pre-apps offer
– Using PPAs
– Calculating the cost
– Involving members and the community
• A chance to explore the advice, recognise
where changes will strengthen your
planning offer
What pre-app should do
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Faster route to planning permission
Chance to improve schemes
More sustainable development
Save abortive costs
Build community acceptance
Build in what the community wants
Mitigate problems
demonstrate political leadership
All the things that were wrong
• Developers not bothering/not listening
• Councils using charges as a cash
generator
• Just slows the system up
• Inconsistent procedures
• Still surprises - not everyone involved
• No commitment to the advice given
• And still too many conditions even if
permission is granted
10 Commitments
• A cross sector effort
- councils
- developer reps (HBF, BPF and FSB)
- statutory consultees ( big 5)
- community reps (Locality)
- RTPI and POS
10 Commitments
Goal
To get our own houses in order, so that
pre-application engagement will deliver……
“…high quality and appropriate development
schemes being granted planning permission
more quickly.”
“to shape better quality, more accepted
schemes and ensure improved outcomes for
the community.”
The commitments for LPAs
1. Quick, smooth process from proposal to
completion
2. Choice and range of options
3. Help the developer
to chose the most
appropriate option
The commitments for LPAs
4. Demonstrate the good value of your
service and meet the standards you
promise
5. Co-operate to get the right people at the
table
6. Promote an open exchange of
information
Pre-app brand
values
Trust
Cost
Time
Reliable
The commitments for LPAs
7. Be collaborative – consider everyone’s
needs
8. Involve councillors in the discussion
9. Engage communities as early as possible
10.Record the information considered,
advice given and agreements reached