Issue - meetings

To note the proposal for a more formalised service and associated charging regime for Pre-Application Planning Advice and Planning Performance Agreements in Haringey.

The Committee was asked to note the proposals to introduce a more structured approach to deal with the pre-application phase of planning applications in the borough.  The report detailed two different charging regimes one for basic Pre-Application Planning Advice (PAPAs) the other for Planning Performance Agreements (PPAs).  The report further detailed the level of service to be provided:

1. New charges for developers to pay for advice.
2. Advice would be available to agents or developers considering submitting an application of two or more units.
3. Planning performance agreements would only be considered for major, strategic and complex applications. 

It was proposed to introduce the Pre-Application Advice Services from April 2008.

The Committee queried the charges for retrospective planning applications.  In confirming that retrospective applications would also be charged a fee the Committee were advised that, the fees for planning applications were set by Central Government and applied across the whole country.  Retrospective applications were not necessarily penalised.   The majority of retrospective cases were householder applications.  Additional charges for further meetings had been benchmarked and were dependent upon the level of officer who attended. 

The Committee commented that they would have liked to see the model charter included in the pilot PPAs.  The officer informed the Committee that they were working with Atlas to develop a charter specific to Haringey.  Atlas were encouraging authorities to individualise these charters and this was being reviewed.

The officer further advised the Committee that the Planning Service would ask the developer to enter into an agreement to formalise the planning advice provided.  Meetings with developers and planning advice provided would remain confidential until an application had been submitted.  The officer providing that advice may or may not be the same officer who presented the application to the Committee. 

RESOLVED

That the recommendations outlined in the report be agreed.