The planning application process consists of several distinct stages, during which information is gathered, decisions are made and communities can make their voices heard.
Pre-application discussion
Before an application is made, developers should engage local authorities and other interested parties in pre-application discussion. The aim of this is to explore any planning issues which may indicate whether development is acceptable or not as well as discuss opportunities for community involvement. For further information on pre-application discussion please see the
Statement of Community Involvement.
There are a number of ways that applications can be submitted to Essex County Council. To speed up the application process, please refer to our guidance documents to help ensure that applications are submitted on the correct form and with all of the necessary supporting documentation.
Essex County Council publishes notices of all planning applications relating to minerals, waste and Essex County Council properties.
Valid planning applications received by Essex County Council are given a unique identification number. Summaries are published in order to keep members of the public informed about the planning applications that Essex County Council is dealing with. During this phase of the planning process interested parties are given time to respond and planning officers are allowed time to assess the application before making a recommendation.
Planning decisions are made in one of three ways.
Where there is no significant deviation from planning policy, and no significant objections have been made by any consultees or neighbours, the planning decision may be made directly by the Head of the local planning authority. These decisions are made based on planning officers’ recommendations and are known as delegated decisions.
Applications can be considered by the Development and Regulation Committee, which is made up of elected councillors. The committee sits on the 4th Friday of every month and receives a report with an officer recommendation. The committee takes account of all comments received and will often debate a proposal before making a decision.
Applications for listed building or conservation area consent are decided by the Secretary of State, based on an officer’s recommendation. Planning decisions where the application has been recommended for approval but represents a significant departure from planning policy are also referred to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State retains the right to call in any application for further examination and decision.
When applications are approved, which can be with planning conditions, or when applications are refused, the council will issue a decision notice. The decision notice is the planning permission, if the development was permitted, or is a statement of the reasons for refusal.
If planning permission has been refused or has conditions imposed with which the applicant disagrees, the applicant has a right to appeal. An applicant can also appeal an enforcement notice in the same way, which may have been issued for development taking place without planning permission (unauthorised development) or for a breach of a condition attached to a planning permission.
As stated enforcement action may be taken against any developments operating in breach of condition of planning permission. Enforcement action may also be taken against sites operating without permissions. In these circumstances, breaches may be reported to the planning team, who will investigate.
In order to ensure that the sites granted planning permission by Essex County Council adhere to the highest standards, site monitoring is carried out by the council.