A SENIOR Harlow councillor has detailed how they plan to reform the planning notice system.

Council across the country spend over £10 million a year publishing planning applications in printed newspapers.

Portfolio Holder for Strategic Growth, cllr Mike Hardware was responding to a question from Harlow Alliance Party member, Alan Leverett.

Mr Leverett asked:

0. As a result of the ill feeling expressed by residents living in Bynghams to the warehouse development nearby, I understand that the Council undertook to review the procedures it uses when advertising Planning Applications.Can you advise me if this review has taken place, if not when will it be completed and if it has, what changes the Council has or will be making to the procedures used?

Cllr Hardware responded:

0. Thank you for your question, and yes, we have been undertaking a review of our planning procedures and communications, and this is still ongoing. There is an item on the next Cabinet agenda reviewing the council’s Statement of Community Involvement which sets out how we will consult residents on forward planning such as the local plan review, new Community Infrastructure Levy, supplementary planning documents and, as relating to your question, with development control, planning applications. This will set out some of the changes we propose for consultation.

There are three participants in the planning process: the applicants, the public and the council and council members. Our aim is to make the process as transparent and accessible as we can for all three participants.

We have already introduced measures to ensure council members are fully aware of all planning applications as they are validated – they now receive a weekly report.

We are reviewing the letters we send to residents advising them of planning applications to ensure people know what they are and not mistaken them for circulars and put them straight in the bin. The content of the letter is also being looked at, ensuring it is readable in plain English, says everything it needs to and directs people to where there is further information.

We are also considering the size of the area around a site where the letter is sent, looking to do more than the legal minimum.

Making the website more accessible so that residents can find the further information they are seeking. This could include a mapping application so they are more readily identifiable, and asking applicants to provide a summary of the application to make it easier for the public to understand the key points.

By law, a notice has to be posted near to the property and the application has to be advertised in a physical newspaper. As we are all aware, we only have the Harlow Guardian which only a few people read. We are looking at other media outlets in the town to ensure greater outreach to residents.

When an application comes before the Development Management Committee, we are considering increasing the number of speakers for larger, complex or controversial applications, allowing more residents to give their views.

And we are looking at the broadcasting and virtual involvement of people with the committee. We saw far greater involvement and engagement during lockdown when meetings were virtual which we would like to see carry on.

Once this review has concluded, the recommendations to be adopted will be announced.