Possible planning contraventions - Saltford Parish Council

Possible planning contraventions

B&NES Council, as the Planning Authority, is responsible for enforcing planning law in Saltford (not SPC). If you wish to have a possible planning contravention investigated by B&NES Council, please read the information and complete the required Enforcement Complaint form on the report something to Planning Enforcement page of the B&NES Council website. 

Anyone can raise a possible planning contravention to the attention of B&NES Council’s Planning Enforcement team. When a member of the public raises a matter directly to the attention of the Planning Authority they will be informed as to whether the concern raised will be investigated by B&NES Council, and B&NES Council should also directly let the person who has made the report know any updates and the decision outcome. If you feel it to be appropriate, residents can also contact B&NES Council’s Saltford Ward Councillors to inform them of concerns; their contact details are on this page under ‘Saltford’.

Saltford Parish Council (SPC) has the power to report any potential breaches of planning regulations to B&NES Council’s Planning Enforcement team. While SPC has the power to report any matter it deems appropriate, the Council typically focuses on cases that are considered significant – rather than minor infringements – and those that may have a wider impact on the village (i.e a ‘village-wide’ impact). A ‘village-wide impact’ can refer to potential contraventions that could affect more than just immediate ‘next door’ neighbours and/or an immediate area. A ‘village-wide impact’ may include cases where, if left unaddressed, a precedent could be set that might negatively affect the wider village and/or broader Saltford community. What constitutes a ‘village-wide impact’ may be determined by the Council on a case-by-case basis. Importantly, there is no strict legal threshold or definition for when a Parish Council can raise a planning contravention enquiry. Like any member of the public, Saltford Parish Council can resolve to report something to Planning Enforcement when it believes action by the Planning Authority may be warranted. The matter is then in the hands of B&NES Council.

Saltford Parish Council encourages members of the public to report something to Planning Enforcement directly. Should a member of the public wish SPC to raise any concerns to the attention of B&NES Council, rather than reporting concerns directly to B&NES Council themselves, please contact the Saltford Parish Council in the first instance. The Parish Council may or may not consider raising a report to the attention of the Planning Authority (B&NES Council). If agreed to consider raising a report, the discussion and any decision would take place at a SPC meeting.

Saltford Parish Council can raise and consider any possible planning contravention at a SPC meeting that is a concern, and a decision can be made by the Council at the same meeting to report something to Planning Enforcement. If it is viewed that time permits the matter raised to be discussed and resolved at a future meeting instead, this can also be agreed by the Council at a meeting. In these instances, SPC will aim to indicate the general area that a possible planning contravention to be discussed is located (e.g. road name etc.) on a future agenda.

Should SPC resolve to refer a matter to Planning Enforcement, an enquiry will be submitted to B&NES Council’s Planning Enforcement team. Thereafter, it is the sole responsibility of B&NES Council to determine whether to initiate a formal Planning Enforcement case and to make any subsequent decisions regarding the matter. B&NES Council is also responsible for communicating any actions taken or decisions made. Any updates or outcomes received by SPC from B&NES Council in relation to a Planning Enforcement matter may be reported under the ‘Planning Contraventions’ item at subsequent Parish Council meetings.

It sometimes occurs that following a planning enforcement case being opened by the Planning Authority – either as reported by SPC or a member of the public – that a planning consultation (i.e. consultation on a planning application, which can include retrospective applications) for the property or location is later received to the Parish Council from B&NES Council. If this occurs, information and the ability to respond will be available via B&NES Council’s Planning Portal. SPC looks to respond to planning consultations received from the Planning Authority, and members of the public can also respond to these directly to B&NES Council during the open consultation period.

Planning consultations received by SPC from B&NES Council are, when time permits, listed on meeting agendas under the heading ‘Consultations on Planning Applications in Saltford’. The Parish Council’s response or comments on each consultation are recorded in the meeting minutes. Please note that all planning decisions are made by B&NES Council, which is the statutory planning authority. Saltford Parish Council is a consultee only and does not have decision-making powers in the planning process.

More information, including SPC’s role in the planning process, can be found on its ‘How can members of the public make their views known? (Commenting on Planning Applications)‘ page.

Other information about planning matters in Saltford

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