Development Management

The Development Management Committee (DMC) advises and represents the Society on all issues concerning the regulation and control of development. 

It therefore covers all matters relating to the processing of planning and related applications including pre-application advice, enforcement, planning appeals as well as the qualitative aspects of the development control function. The DMC deals with building control and other statutory regimes concerned with the regulatory development e.g. health and safety, environmental impact assessment etc. Matters relating to waste and minerals are dealt with by the Waste and Minerals Committee, and both committees work closely on matters of common interest.

What does it do?

The DMC has three priorities :

¨        To work with other organisations, such as the LGA, RTPI, ODPM and PINs etc. in order to make the development control system both efficient as well as more effective in terms of outcomes;

¨        To respond on behalf of the Society to consultation material from the ODPM, LGA and Environment Agency etc. and where, appropriate, provide a joint response on behalf of the Society and external organisations such as the LGA;

¨        To provide the opportunity for Society members to exchange information and ideas, to facilitate the spread of best practice, and deal with queries and concerns raised by members on matters relating to their professional responsibilities.

Activities in 2006/07

In the coming year the DMC will be actively involved in:

¨         Conducting research into the operation of temporary stop notices, the impact of the high hedges legislation and the fee regime, and the discharging of agricultural occupancy conditions;

¨        Contributing to the piloting of the electronic single application form;

¨        Developing enforcement service indicators

¨        Continue to lobby ODPM for the continuation of Planning Delivery Grant;

¨        Contribute to the piloting of planning delivery agreements;

¨        Raise concerns with the Planning Gain Supplement proposals

¨        Respond to the Enforcement Review recommendations

¨        Respond to the consultation on revised list of statutory consultees

¨        Respond to the consultation on the use of Article 4 directions

¨        Respond to the recommendations on the Code of Practice on Mobile Phone development;

¨        Respond to the consultation on revised advertisement regulations

¨        Respond to the consultation on revisions to PPS24 and annex to PPS23

¨        Sharing experiences and identifying good practice in the following areas: marketing the planning service and customer care; local government ombudsman; low market housing areas; ethnicity issues; growth areas; planning appeals casework; planning in suburbia

¨        Contributing towards the review of the use of Planning Delivery Grant 2005/06 and the performance of Standards Authorities.

Who are the Members?

The DMC has an email circulation group of in excess of 185 members drawn predominantly from district and unitary councils and London Boroughs, with direct representation from the RTPI and the NHS London. Heads of Planning and Heads of Development Control make up the membership and each meeting regularly attracts in excess of 25 participants.   New members are always welcome at any of the meetings, which on occasion also includes representation from the LGA and PAS.

Where do we meet?

The DMC meets quarterly and as a matter of principle the meetings are held at a variety of locations throughout England . It is not always convenient for all members to attend every meeting, but might be able to attend a meeting close to their place of work or home. Heads of Development Control in neighbouring authorities to the meeting host are invited to attend irrespective of whether or not they are members of the Society. This provides the opportunity to showcase the work of the Society and the committee in particular as an encouragement to join the Society. The host authority is also given the opportunity to promote their practical work through either presentations or site visits, on matters or issues of relevance to members.

Programme for 2008/09

11 April: Huddersfield

28 June; Liverpool

26 Sept: Solihull

16 Jan 09: LB wandsworth

27 Mar: North east (tba)

Business Plan

Contacts

Bob Bennett            -   Chair of DMC

Bobbennettok@aol.com

A schedule of the working groups is now available:

Working Groups March 08 (79.36Kb) - DOWNLOAD