Local people are invited to comment on the council’s Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), which sets out how the council intends to involve people in the planning process.
The SCI forms part of the Local Development Framework (LDF) and was originally adopted by the council in February 2007. It explains the process the council will follow when consulting on any planning policy issues.
Due to a number of changes in the planning process, such as new charges for pre-application advice, changes to how consultation is carried out on planning applications and new legislation such as the Localism Bill, the SCI needs to be updated.
The new draft document now includes diagrams to show the key stages in the planning policy process more clearly and to explain all parts of the LDF, and outlines the different methods of consultation and participation the council will follow. It also reflects new requirements in the Localism Bill, gives details of free planning assistance and explains how people can comment online.
A wide public consultation on this document will run from Monday 13 February until Monday 26 March, to give people the chance to have their say.
To view a copy of the SCI, or to take part in the consultation online, please go to http://consult.thanet.gov.uk/consult.ti/scireview/consultationHome Copies of the document and comments forms are also available at Thanet’s Gateway Plus in Cecil Square Margate or at any Thanet library. Comments can also be e-mailed to local.plans@thanet.gov.uk or can be sent by post to Thanet District Council Strategic Planning section, P.O. Box 9, Margate CT9 1XZ.
Cabinet Member for Community Services, Cllr. Iris Johnston, said: “It’s vital that we get it right when we consult and involve local people. The Statement of Community Involvement sets out exactly how we intend to involve people in the planning process and although it’s been amended, the key principles remain the same. I’d like to encourage everyone to take this opportunity to let us know what they think and to ensure they are clear about how they can get involved in any planning consultation in the future.”
The feedback received from this consultation will be used to amend the final SCI document, which will then go to Cabinet and Full Council for approval.
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