Protocol for speaking at the Development Control Committee

The Development Control Committee is made up of 12 councillors who meet every six weeks at County Hall, Preston, to look at planning applications. Meetings start at 10.30am.

How to register to speak at committee

If you wish to speak about a planning application at a meeting you must first register to speak by completing the Registration form.  

You should register as soon as possible before the meeting but in any event, by no later than 12 noon, 3 clear working days before the committee meeting.  Please note that for major applications other timescales may apply.

Who can speak at meetings:

The people who can usually speak at meetings are (in this order):

• anyone objecting to the planning application
• anyone in favour of the proposal
• elected representatives
• the applicant or their agent

Each speaker will be given three minutes in which to address the committee. What you say must be relevant to the planning application only. You are responsible for the content of your speech and as such you should take care not to make personal or defamatory remarks. Please note that the meeting is held in public, and so all comments you make will be in the public realm.

A maximum of 30 speakers may speak at a meeting on each planning application or linked planning application. There are 15 slots for those wishing to speak in support of an application and 15 slots for speakers opposing an application.  Further details with regard to the eligibility criteria are set out at Part 2, Article 2.9 of the Council's Constitution.

Speakers will be contacted before the meeting where the application is to be considered to confirm their attendance. This will be by telephone or by e-mail before the meeting.

What will happen at the meeting?

When you get to the meeting, the Committee Support Officer will show you to a seat, where you will be able to watch the meeting, along with any other speakers. When it is your turn, you will be invited to come to the table where the committee are sat, and once you have spoken you will be asked to leave the table so the next speaker can take your place. When all the speakers on an application have spoken, the committee may discuss what you have said along with all other information, and make a decision.

General information

The agenda and reports for the committee are published and are available for public inspection at least five working days in advance of the Committee. The agenda may be accessed here.

Meetings of the Development Control Committee are held in public and are webcast (broadcast over the internet). This includes the public speakers. By requesting to speak, you are confirming that you are happy to appear on the webcast. If you have any concerns about appearing on the webcast then please let us know when you request to speak.

A limited number of hard copy photographs or illustrations may be submitted in support of your presentation. These should be sent to the Committee Support Officer (contact details below) at least 3 working days before the meeting so that they may be passed to Committee Members to consider in advance of the meeting. No documentation will be allowed to be circulated at the meeting.

There is one opportunity to speak on an application or linked applications. If the Committee postpones a decision for any reason, you will not be allowed to address the meeting again, but your views will still be considered.  However, if the application/s is deferred before you have chance to speak, then you will be given the opportunity to speak when the Committee next consider the application/s.

Please let us know as soon as possible if you have any special needs in relation to accessing the meeting room, for example if you are a wheelchair user.

Who to contact

If you have any queries about the process then please contact:

The Development Control Committee Support Officer,
Democratic Services Team,
Lancashire County Council,
P.O. Box 78,
County Hall,
Fishergate,
Preston,
PR1 8XJ

Email: democratic.services@lancashire.gov.uk

Tel: 01772 533380