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Home: Business full menu: Planning and building control: Local Development Framework menu

Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)

The Development, Planning and Information Team - May 2007
DPI@kirklees.gov.uk

Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) (adopted September 2006)
Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) summary:

The Statement of Community Involvement sets out standards to be achieved by the council in involving the community in the preparation of the LDF and planning applications process. This document was adopted on 27th September 2006, following changes as a result of the inspector's report [PDF 174kb].

Statement of Community Involvement summary

Key points

Effective community involvement is central to the aims of creating a diverse and confident community with access for all to high-quality services, good customer care, a thriving economy and a healthy, safe and sustainable environment.

The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) should ensure that all sections of our community have the opportunity to be involved in the planning process.

The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act which came into force in September 2004 places greater emphasis on councils undertaking effective and meaningful consultation and engagement to allow people to contribute to the plan-making and planning applications processes.

For each stage in the planning process we will aim to ensure that people:

Are aware of what is happening;
Know how and when they can have a say on any issue, particularly those that affect them directly;
Have access to all the available information which might help them come to a view;
Find out what decisions have been made following consultation and whether they can take any further action should they wish to do so.

Local Development Framework - opportunities to become involved

The Local Development Framework (LDF) will have the same function as the Unitary Development Plan (UDP): to provide a policy framework for decisions about the use and development of land. The LDF will be made up of the different types of documents:

Development Plan Documents (DPD)
These set out policies and proposals for specified topics or groups of topics. The first DPD is the Core Strategy which outlines a spatial vision and strategic objectives for Kirklees. This provides the context for the other Development Plan Documents. The consultation process for Development Plan Documents includes the following stages:
- Stage 1 - Issues and Options
  At this stage the council will encourage early engagement with communities and stakeholders regarding issues to be addressed and options available.
- Stage 2 - Preferred Options
  The council will set out a number of options for comment during a 6 week community consultation period. The council will also indicate its preferred option and the reasons for this.
- Stage 3 - Submission to Secretary of State
  The proposals which the council has submitted to the Secretary of State will be published and another 6 week consultation period held.
A summary report of the responses received will be made available after each consultation stage.
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD)
Providing further information and explanation of policies and proposals in Development Plan Documents e.g. for provision of affordable housing. Supplementary Planning Documents are also subject to a period of community consultation.

Kirklees Planning Services have a Local Development Framework (LDF) mailing list. People on the mailing list are informed of key stages of consultation throughout the LDF process. If you would like to be added to this mailing list please ring 01484 221627 or email DPI@kirklees.gov.uk with your contact details.

Planning applications

The council encourages involvement in the consideration of planning applications. We encourage all applicants to be open about their development proposals and consult with neighbours and other interested parties at the earliest opportunity to minimise problems.

A weekly list of applications received and decided can be viewed and there is an online planning application search facility. Comments can be made on an application either by letter, email or online. All comments received are taken into account in making a decision on the application. The decision on most planning applications is delegated to senior planning officers. However, some categories of applications are decided by Planning Sub Committee. The public can attend sub committee meetings to observe and can also speak for or against an application.