Somerset Council have issued a helpful series of updates regarding planning matters in their area.
Firstly, they remind applicants for planning permission of the new requirements under the Biodiversity Net Gain legislation which will come into effect on 12 February for major development and on from 2 April for minor development proposals – plus a reminder there are exemptions which include householder development. The Council’s ‘Biodiversity Net Gain Guidance Note’ is due to be considered by the Council’s Planning and Transport Policy Sub-Committee on 14 February 2024.
Neighbourhood Plan update
The Wells Neighbourhood Plan was subject to a local referendum on 25 January 2024. The Ruishton and Thornfalcon Neighbourhood Plan will be subject to a local referendum on 8 February 2024.
Local Validation Checklist (LVC)
Each of the former Planning Authorities in Somerset has in place a LVC. Each of these were adopted at a different time and reflects the Local Plan for that area or specialism. Whilst a new Local Plan for Somerset is under preparation, there are different adopted policy documents in each of the areas, but the Council is not yet in a position to have a single LVC for the whole authority area. It’s therefore necessary to ensure that the existing LVCs are compliant with legislation and updated accordingly. Therefore, the Council is consulting specifically on the LVCs for Area West and Mineral and Waste proposals, as these were adopted more than two years ago. Others will be updated in due course. The purpose of the consultation is:
- To seek views from planning applicants, agents, developers, etc., on our proposed documents and to take these views into account before adopting the final document
- To publish for use by planning applicants, agents, developers, etc., for the submission of valid planning applications in these areas
- To adopt the LVC as a material planning consideration
The consultation runs until 13 March 2024.
Assistant Planner Clare Bolton commented; ‘It is important to keep track and examine these documents – excessively onerous application validation requirements can delay the submission of a planning application and add significant costs to the application – sometimes without being essential to the determination of the application’.
