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Planning

Olveston Parish Council – Planning Process

South Glos planning department notify the Parish Council of any new planning applications for consultation purposes. All planning decisions reside with South Glos Council, but they are beholden to listen to views of the Parish as well as review associated Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD’s), the Olveston Village Design Statement, the relevant Conservation Area Statements.

Olveston Parish Council has delegated the responsibility of reviewing these applications to the Planning Committee. The Committee consists of up to 4 Councillors (minimum is 2, although in exceptional cases one person can consider planning applications providing they review their opinions with the full Parish Council), the formation of which and the associated Chairman will be agreed each year at the Annual Parish Council (held in May), although further Councillors can be co-opted throughout the year as vacancies arise.

The Parish is divided up into four nominal areas Olveston; Tockington & Fern Hill; Old Down, Lower Hazel and up to the A38; Ingst, Awkley and surrounding areas. Each Councillor is designated a particular area of the Parish, and will initially review relevant plans and provide a verbal summary for the Committee Meeting. Where the Councillor requires more clarification on the subject they are permitted to seek advice from nominated ‘experts’ such as the local District Councillor, Surveyors, the Planning Department etc, providing this is revealed to other Councillors.

This Planning Committee will meet fortnightly, and review all planning applications presented in the previous period. The Chairman will then transcribe a quorum decision on each application for the Clerk to notify South Glos Council.

At the Parish Council Meeting, the Clerk will minute the list of Planning Applications and their current status. The Planning Chairman will verbally review contentious applications, and the associated views of the Planning Committee. These ‘sketches’ will not be recorded as they are already documented on the South Glos Website, unless requested by the full Council. This may be through Councillor involvement, parishioner representation at the Meeting or through Correspondence to the Council. Where appropriate the Full Council can revise the decision presented to South Glos Council.

South Glos Council notify the Parish Council whenever planning applications are reviewed by the ‘Development Control Committee’, either onsite or in Committee. The Parish Planning Committee will form a judgement on a case by case basis whether their presence is required at these meetings to speak for the designated length of time on the Parish Councils behalf. (if a parish councillor is unable to be present, the Ward Councillor can be asked to speak on their behalf if they are attending).

In the event that South Glos Council decide contrary to the Parish Council, then Olveston Parish Council reserve the right to challenge this decision, if a majority of ‘active’ parishioners so require.