Councillor Steve Foulkes moved and Councillor Brian Kenny seconded a motion submitted in accordance with standing order 13:

‘Wirral Council notes that the Government has published highly controversial proposals to reform the Planning system. One aspect that has raised particular concern is the proposal to remove local residents’ right to object to individual planning applications in their own neighbourhood if the area is zoned for growth or renewal.

Council believes that the Planning system works best when developers and the local community work together to shape local areas and deliver necessary new homes. Wirral Council therefore calls on the Government to protect the right of communities to object to individual planning applications.’

Councillor Stuart Kelly moved and Councillor Alan Brame Seconded the following amendment in accordance with Standing order 13.3

‘Insert after second paragraph: Council notes that paragraph 132 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF July 2021) states: ‘Applicants should work closely with those affected by their proposals to evolve designs that take account of the views of the community. Applications that can demonstrate early, proactive and effective engagement with the community should be looked on more favourably than those that cannot.’ Council therefore urges developers to engage with local residents and amenity groups at the earliest possible opportunity as their plans develop and preferably before any formal planning application is submitted. Council requests that Planning Committee gives consideration to amending the Terms of Reference of the Strategic Applications Sub-Committee for it to act as a forum to enable informal pre-application discussion between community groups, Ward Councillors, developers and officers to take place as plans are developed. Council further considers that the Council’s planning website pages should be made more user-friendly and requests the Director of Regeneration and Place to further develop the web pages and, as a start, to ensure that uploaded plans, drawings and documents are given readily understandable titles and that comments submitted by local residents are readily visible for interested parties to view’

Following a debate in accordance with standing order 15, the amendment was put and carried (34:26).

The substantive motion was then put, and it was –

Resolved (60:0) - That -

Wirral Council notes that the Government has published highly controversial proposals to reform the Planning system. One aspect that has raised particular concern is the proposal to remove local residents’ right to object to individual planning applications in their own neighbourhood if the area is zoned for growth or renewal.

Council believes that the Planning system works best when developers and the local community work together to shape local areas and deliver necessary new homes. Wirral Council therefore calls on the Government to protect the right of communities to object to individual planning applications.

Council notes that paragraph 132 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF July 2021) states: ‘Applicants should work closely with those affected by their proposals to evolve designs that take account of the views of the community. Applications that can demonstrate early, proactive and effective engagement with the community should be looked on more favourably than those that cannot.’

Council therefore urges developers to engage with local residents and amenity groups at the earliest possible opportunity as their plans develop and preferably before any formal planning application is submitted.

Council requests that Planning Committee gives consideration to amending the Terms of Reference of the Strategic Applications Sub-Committee for it to act as a forum to enable informal pre-application discussion between community groups, Ward Councillors, developers and officers to take place as plans are developed. Council further considers that the Council’s planning website pages should be made more user-friendly and requests the Director of Regeneration and Place to further develop the web pages and, as a start, to ensure that uploaded plans, drawings and documents are given readily understandable titles and that comments submitted by local residents are readily visible for interested parties to view.