What do I do if I wish to speak at Planning Committee

If you wish to speak at a Planning Committee Meeting on an application please email democraticservicestdc@teignbridge.gov.uk by 12 noon two whole working days before the meeting (e.g. if Committee is on a Tuesday then the deadline is 12 noon the previous Thursday) giving your full name, email address, mobile telephone number and quote the planning reference number. If more than one person requests to speak your email address will be sent to all who wish to speak for you to arrange a spokesperson between yourselves.

Members of the public who speak at a committee will have their name published within the minutes and they will be recorded where a meeting is broadcast live. Should members of the public wish to remain anonymous then they should contact comsec@teignbridge.gov.uk to make this request.

What is the order of speakers on an application at a Planning Committee

• Planning Officer presenting the report
• Objector(s)
• Supporter(s)
• Discussion by Councillors
• Decision (which may be approve, refuse, or defer to a subsequent meeting e.g. to allow for a site visit).

Who may speak and for how long

For major applications up to two objectors and two supporters may speak for 5 minutes each.  The time between objectors and supporters is balanced.  For example if there are two objectors but only one supporter the supporter will be able to speak for 10 minutes.

For other applications one objector and one supporter may speak for a maximum of 3 minutes each.

What may I speak about

Only planning related matters can be considered and any comments regarding disability, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender reassignment or that are defamatory, prejudiced or otherwise likely to cause offence to the subject of the comments or any other reader will be removed. Any comments that are considered to constitute hate incidents or hate crimes may be passed to the police.

Examples of planning related comments include:-

• Overlooking/loss of privacy
• Design/effect on appearance of area
• Access, parking, traffic, road safety
• Trees/Biodiversity/Landscape/Heritage
• Noise/disturbance
• Local or Government Policy/Economic benefits
• Flooding issues

Comments which should not be made and cannot be considered include:-

• Loss of property value/loss of view
• Boundary/land ownership/neighbour disputes
• Impact on private drainage systems
• Inappropriate or personal comments
• Doubts as to integrity of applicant
• Breach of covenant
• Principle of development when outline consent exists