About planning applications
Herefordshire Council places great importance on public involvement in the planning application process and we welcome your comments on planning applications. The council's policy and practice on publicity, as required by government guidelines, is set out in its Statement of Community Involvement.
Planning applications are publicised in weekly lists of planning applications received and planning decisions made. You can view plans, supporting documents and correspondence using on planning application search and you can also comment on planning applications.
Regulations require that certain types of planning application are publicised by notices in local newspapers. These can be found in the 'Public Notices' section of the Hereford Times and in planning application public notices on this site. We may also place site notices on or as near as practical to an application site. These are a distinctive yellow colour and used where there is doubt about who the interested parties are, adjacent land ownership is uncertain or the application is likely to be of wider interest.
The decision
When making a decision the council are only able to take into account comments which relate to land use planning considerations. These depend on the particular application but do relate to planning policy and other matters such as the affect on local amenity, overlooking, loss of privacy, highway safety issues including increased traffic access/parking problems and possibly noise and smells.
Please note that the council is not able to accept movie/video attachments to representations as we cannot be sure that everyone involved has exactly the same version or that they have the equipment needed to access the evidence.
The following are not usually relevant to making a planning decision:
- Matters controlled by other legislation, an example would be risk of pollution to a water course which would be a matter of licence by Environment Agency
- Effect on private rights
- Property values
- Retention or protection of a private view
- Personal circumstances of the owner or applicant
- Moral issues
In order that representations may be properly taken into account, it is important that the time allowed for submission as stated on the notification is strictly observed.
The council is able to make a decision on an application at any time after the publicity period has expired and in any event should normally make a decision within 13 weeks for major developments and 8 weeks for all other types of a developments of a valid being made.
The majority of decisions are made by Officers under Delegated Powers. Where this is not the case the application will be determined by the Planning Committee.
Planning policies
Planning policies that guide development decisions in Herefordshire are set out in the Local Plan - Core Strategy. Decisions should be made in accordance with adopted policies appearing in this document unless material considerations indicate otherwise. National planning policy is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework.
Neighbourhood Development Plans are also taken into consideration when a planning application is submitted within a designated Neighbourhood Area. You can find out if your parish council has a Neighbourhood Development Plan.