For information on planning matters and to search or comment or to find out the status of a planning application please use the the link for Maidstone Planning Portal Search for a planning application - Maidstone Borough Council

The Role of the Parish Council in Planning Matters  

The role of the Parish Council (PC) is to represent local views and should: - 

• Provide local knowledge. 

• Raise areas of concern. 

• Inform, debate, and add value to the process. 

• Contact and involve District Councillors if required. Parish Councils (PC) are statutory consultees in the planning process and must be informed of  all planning applications, and any amendments to those applications, within the parish. The PC can only comment on these planning applications in the same way as any other member of the public

Please remember that the PC is only a consultee and counts as one opinion. Without advice from     residents of the Parish the members of the PC    will give their own opinions. The PC can and will seek the views of residents of the Parish,              particularly in controversial cases, and will reflect such local feeling during the deliberation process. However, should there be widespread objection,  or support, for a proposal the PC will always urge members of the public to send their own                 individually written letters or e-mails direct to the planning authority (in your own words rather than a circular type as these are more effective).         

It must be understood that the PC’s comments in response to a planning application can only be based on planning matters. Where possible the PC  can quote polices in the Local Plan as these are  the starting point for considering the merits of     any application. Objections should be clear,  concise, relevant, and accurate to stand a chance of being accepted. Whilst the local planning         authority must consider the representations of the PC this does not mean that an application will be decided in accordance with the views of the PC.

In reaching a decision, the local planning authority is required to weigh up all issues associated with an application and comments made by the PC may have insufficient weight to enable the application to be determined in line with the wishes of the Parish. 

 Any comments or objections made must have a genuine material planning consideration  and matter of relevance to the development. Material Planning Considerations include: - 

• Layout, density. 
• Risk of flooding or pollution. 
• Overlooking and loss of privacy. 
• Overshadowing and loss light (daylight/sunlight). Access and traffic generation (highway safety). 
• Local economy. 
• Design, appearance and materials. 
• Appearance, effects on street, specially designated area or building (e.g. conservation areas, listed buildings, ancient monuments, etc.). 
• Adequacy of parking. 
• Noise and smell. 
• Landscape, contamination, loss of trees, etc. 
• Cumulative impact. 
• Past planning history or appeal decisions of the site. 

The following are NOT considered to be material considerations: - 

• History of applicant. 
• Loss of view. 
• Commercial competition. 
• Change from previous scheme. 
• Impact on property value. 
• Restrictive covenants. 
• Ownership of land, right of access. 
• Noise & disturbance from construction work. 
• Land & boundary disputes. Land ownership. 
• Damage to property. Private rights of way. 
• Deeds & covenants. 
• Private issues between neighbours. 

When the PC response is ‘NO OBJECTION’ it is satisfied that all the above have been considered carefully and applied to the application under  consideration so has no area for objection.  However, the PC may make recommendations for planning conditions to be added to the application should the local authority grant approval. Planning conditions will only be imposed by the local authority where they are: - Necessary Relevant to planning and to the development to be  permitted Enforceable Precise Reasonable in all other respects