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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT BY DEPUTY J.H. YOUNG OF ST. BRELADE
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 6th DECEMBER 2011
Question
In relation to the processing of Planning applications under Article 9 of the Planning and Building law (Jersey) Law 2002, will the Minister advise the Assembly:
- the number of refusals and permissions granted during the previous 12 months made personally by the Minister or his predecessor;
- the number of refusals and permissions granted during the previous 12 months under the Minister's delegated powers by the Planning Applications Panel, by Planning officers and by the Assistant Minister and for each, the average elapsed time between the receipt of the initial application and the decision;
- the number of Planning applications for which decisions are currently pending and the average delay between their submission and the decision being made;
- the number of meetings held during the last twelve months between the Minister and his predecessor, Assistant Minister, all members of the Planning Applications Panel and the Planning officers to discuss Planning policy and procedure to ensure all Planning decisions consistently took full account of the requirements of the Planning Law and the Policies of the Island Plan?
Answer
All figures are for the period 1st December 2010 to 30th November 2011
- Ministerial decisions
Senator F. Cohen.
29 approvals, 15 refusals, 1 withdrawn
Deputy R. Duhamel
14 approvals, 2 refusals.
- (i) Planning Applications Panel decisions
98 approvals, 68 refusals, 1 withdrawn
Average time between valid date and decision = 179 days (ii) Department decisions 1,052 approvals, 145 refusals, 209 exempt or withdrawn Average time between valid date and decision = 113 days
- As at 2nd December 2011, the current number of pending planning applications was 428, with an average of 158 days from validation.
- The following meetings have taken place in the last twelve months and included briefings and discussions on planning policy:
Minister and Assistant Minister
Weekly Ministerial Meetings and ad hoc meetings with officers to discuss policy Ministerial Meetings
Dec 2010 to Nov 2011 - 11 application meetings plus 1 meeting solely for historic building items
Planning Applications Panel
February 2011 – briefing on new Historic Environment regime and policy implications July 2011 – briefing on the new Island Plan
August 2011 – briefing on windows and doors policy
December 2010 to Nov 2011 – 12 application meetings
Development Control Officers
Jul 2011 – four separate briefing meetings on the new Island Plan plus weekly briefings and additional ad hoc meetings to discuss policy and process.
It may be helpful for Members to note that there is a constant and ongoing dialogue between officers of all levels and the political representatives. Each application is different and many will raise questions of policy interpretation. The Minister, the Panel Chairman and the Director of Development Control frequently debate the policy issues raised and constantly strive for consistency in the interpretation and application of policy.