Development Management Forum

A development management forum is a meeting where petitioners can present their views to councillors, planning officers and the applicant, before a planning application is determined.

The aim of the forum is to allow early discussion of the planning issues raised by petitioners and to explore the scope for building consensus and resolving concerns.

It is an informal meeting and the forum does not determine the application. A formal committee or the development management team ultimately determines the application.

Your petition

Petitions can be submitted in relation to complex and sensitive major planning applications for development of 50 or more homes. 

When we receive a planning application, we send a letter to neighbours and other people likely to be affected by the development, allowing 21 days for comments.

The letter states that a development management forum might be held on the planning application if a petition is submitted meeting certain requirements. 

The petition must state that a development management forum is being requested.

The development management forum will consider a petition:

  • containing at least 25 signatures and addresses of council residents
  • of objection that is received within the initial 21 day consultation period
  • of support, but only if there is also a qualifying petition of objection to be considered - a petition of support must be received within seven days of the close of the initial 21 day consultation period
  • that solely relates to comments on an eligible planning application that is under consideration.
     

Petitions must clearly state what the planning concerns are and we encourage you to say what changes might be made to the development to overcome your concerns.

Timescales have to be set for the receipt of petitions because we have to deal with applications within government set deadlines.

 

The forum will not consider petitions:

  • expressing an in-principle outright objection to the application with no suggestions for a compromise solution

  • not received within the correct timescales.

A forum will not normally be held for a petition relating to a current application amendment, or where a forum has already been held on the current application.
 

Petitions can be submitted by post or via the Council’s e-petition system. Please find the details below.

By post:
Head of Legal and Democratic Services
Council Offices
Wallfields
Pegs Lane
Hertford
Hertfordshire

By e-petition

We will give you at least seven days notice about the meeting date and time.

Applicants and petitioners will be expected to meet the next available date because of the tight deadlines we have in determining planning applications.

If you have any queries then please do not hesitate to contact us via the details at the bottom of this webpage. 

Meetings of the development management forum are held monthly, as and when required, in the Council Chamber, Wallfields, Pegs Ln, Hertford SG13 8EQ

For dates and times of these meetings, please contact the committee section at democratic.services@eastherts.gov.uk or via the contact details below.

The forum is attended by:

  • up to three representatives of the petitioners. The representatives need not be East Herts residents. You can ask your local councillor to present your petition if you wish
  • up to three representatives of the applicant
  • members of the relevant committee that will determine the application
  • ward councillors
  • the planning officer dealing with the application
  • other relevant officers
  • the press and public can attend as observers

The forum is informal but follows certain stages, including:

  • introduction by chair (Cllr Glover-Ward) and declaration of councillor interests - up to five minutes
  • presentation of the application by the applicant/agent (up to three representatives) principally to address the issues raised by petitioners - up to 15 minutes
  • presentation of the views of the petitioners against the application (up to three representatives) - up to 15 minutes
  • presentation of the views of the petitioners in support of the application (up to three representatives) where applicable - up to 15 minutes
  • questions and issues arising - up to 30 minutes
  • summing up by the petitioners against the application - up to five minutes
  • summing up by the petitioners in support of the application - up to five minutes
  • final comments of the chair.
     

The order of proceedings may be changed at the discretion of officers and the chair and spokesperson of the relevant committee.

All relevant parties in attendance will be sent brief notes of the meeting which, will also be placed online under the associated planning application reference on the planning register.

The planning officer will take the outcome of the meeting into account in any further negotiations on the application and in the report to committee. The notes of the forum will also be attached to the committee report as an appendix.

We will write to the lead petitioners a week before the application is to be reported to committee.

Public speaking is allowed at committees.

If you wish to speak at the committee you should contact the committee manager in accordance with the public speaking requirements.

  • By email: democratic.services@eastherts.gov.uk.
  • By telephone: 01279 655261
  • By post: 
    Head of Legal and Democratic Services
    Council Offices
    Wallfields
    Pegs Lane
    Hertford
    Hertfordshire
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