Planning & Development Management Flashcards

1
Q

What is the NPPF

A

National Planning Policy Framework

revised in December 2024 in response to Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the Planning System Consultation and amended in February 2025

Key planning document for England.
Sets out Governments economic, environmental & social planning policies.
Aims to promote sustainable development & a simplifies accessible planning system.

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2
Q

How does NPPF work?

A

Supports Plan Led System
Requires LPA’s to update & maintain local plans
Provides a framework for local plans - LPA’s required to prepare Local Plans consistent with this.
Material Consideration in Planning Decisions

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3
Q

Why is NPPF Important?

A

Sets out governments planning policies, guides local authorities in preparing development plans, making decisions, ensuring sustainable & well located development

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4
Q

What is an LPA?

A

Local Planning Authority

Public Authority whose duty through legislation is to carry out specific planning functions for a particular area including:
1. Determining planning applications.
2. Making LDO’s
3. Making EIA’s
4. Producing Local Plans
5. Undertaking Enforcement
6. Supporting Neighbourhood Planning

Must act independently of other council departments

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5
Q

What Authority do LPA’s have?

A

Power to control development & land use
Determining planning applications
Enforcement powers

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6
Q

What is Permitted Development?

A

Provided for by the Town & Country Planning (General Permitted Development Order)(England) 2015

We do not get involved with residential planning applications so in agricultural terms:

Provided for by Part 6 Schedule 2 of the Town & Country (General Permitted Development)(England) Order 2015

Allow certain agricultural developments without full planning permission - most cost effective quicker way to achieve planning.

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7
Q

What were the changes for PD?

A

From 21st May 2024

Flexible Commercial use - increased from 500m2 - 1000m2

Class Q - Increased from 865m2 - 1000m2

Range of uses for agricultural buildings ‘flexible commercial use’ widened

Units over 5 ha - new buildings footprint increased from 1000m2 - 1500m2

Units under 5 ha - footprint of extensions increased from 1000m2 - 1250m2

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8
Q

When can it be used?

A

Agricultural Units over 5 hectares:

Works for erection, extension or alteration of a building
Any excavation or engineering operations.

Agricultural Units under 5 hectares:

Extension alteration of a building

The following classes apply to permitted development:

  1. Class A - 5 hectares or more
  2. Class B - 5 hectares or less
  3. Class C - mineral working for agricultural agricultural purposes
  4. Class Q - Conversion of Agricultural buildings to residential use
  5. Class R - Conversion of Agricultural buildings to flexible commercial use
  6. Class E - Forestry developments
  7. Class S - Change of use of building or land within the curtilage from agricultural use to state funded school
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9
Q

When can’t Permitted Development Rights be used?

A

PD Can’t be used:

If on a separate parcel less than 1 ha

If PD has been used within last 10 years

erection, extension, alteration of an existing dwelling house

erection of a building not for ag purposes

above the footprint thresholds:
1500m2 - new buildings over 5ha
1250 - extension under 5ha
1000m2 - class Q

height within 3km of aerodrome - exceed 3m

height exceeds 12m

If within 25m of mettled road

if used for livestock or slurry storage within 400m of a protected dwelling

involves excavations/engineering operations on land connected with fish farming

Within the curtilage of a scheduled monument

Class Q - not permitted on listed buildings or its curtilage, conservation ares, ANOB’s, National Parks, the broads or world heritage sites

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10
Q

What are advantages of PD?

A

Cost effective - £240
Simplified Process
Quicker - decided 28 days
Flexibility - increased uses for class R
Diversification

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11
Q

Disadvantages of PD?

A

Restrictions on future use - 10 years rule

Could require prior approval

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12
Q

what is Full Planning?

A

Is an application for planning permission under the Town & Country Planning Act 1990.

Where the works carried out meet the Statutory definition of ‘development’ set out in s55 of the TCPA 1990.

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13
Q

When can Full Planning be used?

A

When the proposal meets the definition of s55 of the TCPA 1990

Development means the carrying out of building engineering mining or other operations in, on, over or under land or any material change of use of any buildings or land

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14
Q

When can a full planning application not be used?

A

Nationally significant infrastructure projects

For retrospective applications

TPO’s

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15
Q

What are Advantages of Full Planning?

A
  1. Certainty
  2. Less risk of changes - no reserved matters
  3. Shorter construction timeline - approval for design (subject to discharging conditions)
  4. Avoidance of disputes
    objections dealt with during public consultation
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16
Q

What are disadvantages of Full Planning?

A

Can be time consuming - preparing required documentation

Costly to prepare all documents

Rigidity - once approved can be difficult to make changes

Potential delays - LA are under pressure not always decided in 56 day timeframe

Application difficulties - may need to employ professional services to assist with process

17
Q

What the process for a full planning application?

A
  1. Establish if planning is required.
  2. Pre-application advice (Optional)
  3. Submit Application on planning portal along with supporting documentation usually outlined in LPA validation checklists
  4. Pay Fee
  5. Application Validated
  6. Public Consultation
  7. Site Visit
  8. Decision
18
Q

What is Prior Approval?

19
Q

What are the advantages of Prior Approval?

20
Q

What are disadvantages of Prior Approval?

21
Q

What is the process of Prior Approval?

22
Q

What documents are required for a planning application?

23
Q

How does Land Designation Affect planning permission?

24
Q

How have you appraised stock numbers, holding size and justification for agricultural buildings?

A

Total amount of livestock
Ages
Requirement for housing & for how long
Type of livestock enterprise

suitability of the land for intended use
Carrying capacity of the land - suitability to support the number of animals

Functionality of the buildings - type & number to support the farm business

Scale & design - proportional to size of the operation

Environmental Impact - consider planning requirements.

25
Would this be the same or different for justifying an agricultural dwelling?
Yes to a degree: Depending on nature of farming enterprise. Must meet two tests: Functional Need: Requirement to live on site all year round within sight & sound of the farmyard. Animal Welfare - eg dairy farm with year round calving or bucket rearing calves - requires regular monitoring & be on hand to assist Calculated using Standard Man Days Calculation (SMD) - general estimate of labour requirement. Must demonstrate requirement for min 1 labour unit (a full time worker) - 2,200 hours/yr or 275 man days of 8 hours each. Industry Standard Figures for each sector eg calf to weaning equates to 18 man hours/cow/year. So number type & age will directly affect this test. Financial Test - appraises the viability of the business Must sustain one full time worker living on site on min wage (general rule of thumb £20,000/year) Start up business less than 3 years accounts - temp dwelling The size of the holding is the not primary factor for the justification but all or a portion of the land may be tied to the grant of planning
26
What information do you obtain for during a site visit?
Name of applicant Type of enterprise/Stock numbers Size of holding Size & design of the building Location of the building Access Services drainage details Reason for need the building RoW Land designation eg SSSI, National Park
27
What common queries have you experienced following submission of a planning application & how have you responded to these?
28
What due diligence/desk top research have you undertake prior to site visit?
Land Registry Search - verify ownership and if there are any encumbrances on the title Zoning Land/ Land use - to establish is any zoning applies to the site dictates the type pf development allowed Previous planning applications if any - refused applications can often include case officers report outlining reasons for refusal can be a useful tool moving forwards Land designations - ANOB, National Parks, SSSI
29
What are the common queries you have experienced following submission of a planning application?
30
Have you dealt with a planning permission that has been refused, what did you do?
Yes, for a dry storage shed in the National Park.
31
Chagford Farm covered yard & dung store what advice did you give why?
I advised the following: Full Planning application - Not PD as was not more than 400m away from a protected dwelling. LPA had 56 days to decided but likely to be longer. If approved it would likely be approved with conditions Advised to put concreting in along with building BNG Metric not required as was on a concrete yard so no loss of habitat - however BNG enhancement features would be required as per DNP Local Plan SP 2.3 - As new development will be required to contribute toward biodiversity enhancement. I advised that additional reports may be required. Such as drainage assessment & a SCAIL Assessment but we would deal with these should the need arise.
32
What is a SCAIL assessment?
It is the Simple Calculation of Atmospheric Impact Limits tool. Allows for the assessment of the impact of air pollution caused by agricultural & combustion sources on semi-natural areas such as SSSI's
33
Teign Valley CLUEO what advice did you give?
Retired dairy farmers, moved down from Somerset, lived alone. Purchased the property and moved down in July 2010. The AoC on the property stated: The dwelling shall only be occupied by persons employed full time locally in agriculture or forestry work, defined by Section 336 of the T & C Planning Act 1990 & the dependents of such persons. The exact justification for the dwelling was unknown, permission was granted 8th October 1990. I advised the clients that given the wording of the AoC they were in breech of this condition. By virtue of s171(B) of TCPA 1990 Where it states - no enforcement action may be taken after a period of 10 years beginning with date of the breech The breech took place in July 2010 and therefore was well in excess of the 10 year rule and there was no deliberate concealment of the breech. Burden of proof lies with the applicant - we must put forward a robust case with case law stipulating that if the LPA has no evidence to contradict the applicants version of events there is not reason to refuse the application (F. W. Gabbitas v SSE and Newham LBC [1985] J.P.L. 630) I advised that we need to gather evidence to build a case. Statutory declarations. Google earth images from date of occupation to show no stock or grazing. Planning History showing no agricultural use Land registry title title & plan to show date of purchase & extent of the property Utility bills from occupation.
34
What did you do?
Submitted an application for a Lawful Development Certificate for an Existing Use or Operation or Activity including those in breach of a planning condition on planning portal. Documents: D & A Site Plan Block Plan Wildlife Trigger Table Flood Risk Statutory declaration
35
Teign Valley - what advice did you give if they were unsuccessful
If recommended for refusal Case Officer often emails beforehand outlining reasons for refusal and giving you a chance to withdraw the application or the application is refused with a case officers report detailing reason for refusal. I advised if this happens: We can withdraw (if given the option) try to address the Case Officers concerns and reapply. But if we withdraw we loose the right to appeal. Let the application run to refusal, and try to address the case officers concerns and reapply. We could go to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate with no timescale for appeals . However this is a long process with appeal decisions taking up to 12 months.
36
What is a Statutory Declaration?
Governed by Law The Statutory Declarations Act 1835 Legally binding statement of fact Similar to an affidavit but without sworn oath Used to confirm something is true to the best of the declarants knowledge & belief Typically used when other evidence isn't available Must be signed in the presence of an authorized person to ensure legal validity such as solicitor or justice of the peace
37
Was this approach successful?
We are waiting for a decision with the target being 21 April 2025
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