What happens after the consultation period?
Following the 21 day consultation period for an application, area staff assess all feedback, and evaluate it against the Development Plan. The planning officer also carries out a site visit.
The aim of planning is to assist the creation of sustainable developments. It should enable the development of places and buildings that will lead to improvements in the social, environmental and economic wellbeing of the area. To this extent, our planning officers try to work positively and proactively with applicants to add value, improve or amend their scheme to make it acceptable in accordance with the Development Plan, and achieve approval. Around 97% of applications are approved in Argyll and Bute, and we aim to have a culture of negotiation to achieve good quality development on the ground. Negotiations may lead to specific conditions being attached, legal agreements or changes to materials or scale.
For all applications, the planning officer prepares a report detailing their assessment process, weighing up all factors and feedback into a Report of Handling, which will make a recommendation for the application to approved, approved subject to conditions, or refused.