Dealing with Planning Applications
This page gives a brief guide to how planning applications are dealt with and Yatton Parish Council's role in the process. There is more information on North Somerset council's website.
North Somerset Council is the planning authority for North Somerset and is the only body that can make decisions on planning applications. Yatton Parish Council is entitled to comment on planning applications but cannot make a decision on them.
Yatton Parish Council receives a copy of every planning application that affects Yatton or Claverham. Every planning application is considered at a meeting of the Planning Committee. Meetings of the Planning Committee are advertised and members of the public are welcome to attend. There is a period at the start of the meeting where members of the public, including those supporting or opposing a planning application, can make statements. Councillors will then discuss and vote on the comments to be made on each application.
The Parish Council sends its comments to North Somerset Council. Members of the public can also submit comments to North Somerset Council, either by post or online. All comments are posted on North Somerset Council's website. A decision will then be made on the application, either by an officer (employee) of North Somerset Council or by a committee. Most committee decisions are made by Central Area Committee, which consists of all the North Somerset councillors representing wards in Central Area, but a few are referred to the Planning and Regulatory Committee. If the decision is to be made by a committee the meeting will be advertised and members of the public can attend and make comments. However if the decision is made by an officer it will be made in private.
There is no guarantee that any decision will be in line with Yatton Parish Council's comments but most are since North Somerset Council recognises that parish councillors are familiar with their local community.
If permission is refused, or is granted subject to conditions, the applicant may appeal to the Planning Inspectorate (an independent body). However neither Yatton Parish Council nor anyone else opposed to a planning application can appeal if planning permission is granted.