Planning Services - About Us
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The planning system plays an important role by helping to protect our towns, villages and countryside. It also has a key role in enabling the provision of homes and jobs in a way that is consistent with the principles of sustainable development. Planning must be positive in promoting development and protective towards the environment and amenity. The Harrogate District Local Plan was prepared to help strike this balance and enable consistent, predictable and prompt decision making. This Local Plan is to be superseded by the Local Development Framework which will be more flexible and responsive to change. |
Development Control represents the "sharp end" of the planning system making decisions on individual planning applications about whether to allow a wide range of housing, business and leisure developments to go ahead. This is especially so in Harrogate District where the Borough Council has to make complex planning decisions in accordance with its Local Plan and other material considerations. It has to balance amenity and the conservation of an outstanding landscape and historic setting with a high demand for new development. In making its decisions the Borough Council has to engage with a very active community interest in the District about all planning issues, large and small.
A guide entitled "
Creating better places to live: a guide to the Planning system in England" published by the Department for Communities and Local Government will help you find out more about planning and how you can make where you live a better place both now and in the future. It will help you find out what planning has got to do with you, your family, your friends and your community.
The Planning Service is organised into 3 groups - Development Control, Forward Planning, Building Control - within these there are specialist teams. Along with other Council services, the aim is to help to make Harrogate District's environment safe, healthy and attractive for residents, businesses and visitors by delivering high quality responsive services.
Development Control Group
Development Control Team
The team in
Development Control deals with applications, and related appeals, for planning permission, listed building, conservation area and advertisement consents, and works to protected trees. It gives pre-application advice on planning and related matters and runs the annual visit/review of implemented developments.
Enforcement & Implementation Team
Investigates
breaches of planning control and takes action to overcome environmental problems and acts corporately to ensure delivery of key Council objectives relating to affordable housing, Public Open Space and "eyesores".
Information & Plans Processing Unit
This team provides a support function for the rest of the Planning Division on IT development, receiving and publicising applications, land charge searches and performance monitoring. This team is also responsible for the Map Return Scheme and the development of a Geographical Information System.
Planning Enquiries
Provides an enquiry service for customers of the Planning Division.
Forward Planning Group
LDF Policy Team
The Local Development Framework Policy Team deals with land use and transport policy issues. It is responsible for preparation of the
Local Development Framework , Supplementary Planning Guidance, and Design/
Development Briefs for development sites in Harrogate District. It also manages the 10 yearly population Census on behalf of the Council and provides other monitoring information such as Housing Completions.
Heritage & Design Team
Building Control Group
This Group provides a full advisory service on all matters relating to
building control, to ensure that Building Regulations (which dictate minimum standards) are followed and that buildings are designed to safeguard the health and safety of users.
More Information