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| About This Site |
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The information on this site is provided in good faith as guidance and stimulus to those involved in the Church’s strategy for new housing areas. No responsibility can be accepted for information which is inaccurate, and professional advice specific to particular places should be sought.
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| In your area: The 'Planning Portal' | 20th Feb '07 |
| The Planning Portal is the Government resource to help planners and public alike access information about planning applications. It covers everything to do with planning. It is a website where you can enter a post code and enquire about developments in your area, via your Local Authority. Visit www.planningportal.gov.uk. |
The 'General Public' area is designed to answer the questions church leaders might have. The 'Local Information' area leads you to Local Planning Authorities and the place where you can enter the post code for your enquiry.
As they describe, this will then link you to:
- Information about which Local Authority is relevant for planning in your area
- The development plan for your area
- Contact details for your Local Authority and links to their website
 In addition to the public provision of the Planning Portal, you might also do a 'Google search' in case any local newspapers have picked up on stories of possible developments which have not got in to the planning system yet. You can also try your Local Authority website for current discussions under consideration.
Many Regional and Local Authority planning personnel are happy for community leaders like church ministers to contact them direct, especially if they know you represent a group or network. You may already have good contacts with councillors who can help facilitate such a meeting which will be useful in building personal relationships which can be invaluable later on.
Don�t be surprised if developers and planners are keen to meet you: sometimes they feel isolated and glad of good liaison with community leaders such as yourselves, especially if you represent a good network and significant interest group in the wider community. However, also be aware that, in other instances, planning officers are reluctant to talk to one church or religion in case they offend another.
Some churches, like the Roman Catholic, and especially the Church of England, have some way in to Local Authorities by way of statute. However all churches should be representing the needs of the community rather than their own congregation. There can be the added value of inter faith links, and remember that local and national government officials would always rather speak to representatives of the Church who 'speak for all'. | | Web Site : click here |
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