Attending public meetings

Speaking at Planning Committee meetings

You can speak at Planning Committee meetings before decisions are taken. If you have written to us about a planning application, we will contact you when it is due to go to committee and let you know how you can speak at the meeting.

Planning applicants, their agent or representative can speak when their application is considered. The owner or occupier of a property, their agent or representative can speak when enforcement matters are considered.

You will not be able to speak on deferred planning applications as there would already have been an opportunity to speak at Planning Committee, before it was deferred.

Only a ward councillor and one other person will be invited to speak for or against any item being considered. If someone speaks against an application, the applicant will also be allowed to speak. An applicant may speak even where there are no objectors or ward councillors speaking.

Asking to speak

Use the form below to send us your request to speak. You can speak for or against any planning application or matter that's on the Planning Committee meeting agenda. You can speak for yourself or on behalf of others.

Request to speak at Planning Committee

You must send your request to speak and your written statement by midday, at least 2 working days before the meeting, not including the day of the meeting.

We will let you know if your statement has been accepted, and may suggest changes for legal reasons – read our guide to questions and statements. You are not permitted to circulate or present audio or video to committee members as part of a statement.

If more than one person – not including the ward councillor – has asked to speak about an application, we suggest they agree a single joint written statement and decide on one person to speak and present at the meeting. If this is not possible, we will hold a ballot to decide which one person will speak. The ballot will be held 2 days before the meeting, at 4pm, with all persons invited to be present.

At the meeting

If you've been given permission to speak at Planning Committee, we will help you through the process.

The agenda for each public meeting sets out the order in which subjects will be discussed.

At the start of the meeting you will be invited to sit in the public gallery.

When the time comes for you to speak, you will be called forward by the Chair – the person who is in charge of the meeting. A member of staff will guide you to your seat and show you how to use the microphone.

You will have 3 minutes in which to present your written statement.

When you finish, you may return to your seat in the public gallery.