Determining Planning Applications Part 1: Drafting the Officer’s Report – The Officer’s Report is one of the first documents that is reviewed when consideration is being given to judicial review of an approval or appeal of a refusal.
The importance of a robustly prepared Officer’s Report, whether to Committee or for Delegated Authority, before determination of a planning application cannot be underestimated; not least because it is usually the starting point for any potential judicial review of a decision to grant permission and a key document for any appeal against a refusal of permission but also because it is also vital to ensure that decision making is transparent and understood by the public. This webinar will take a close look at the legal requirements and practical considerations when drafting the Officer’s Report to assist in the preparation of Reports that stand up to scrutiny if tested in the Courts or at appeal.
Including:
- Key elements that will need to be included in every Officer’s Report;
- Deciding what else should be included;
- How to approach matters of judgement and discretion;
- Practical tips on how to minimise risk of challenge
This webinar will set out the legal aspects of drafting Officer’s Reports together with a practical best practice guide. This is the first part of a two part session.
Delivered by John Scott MRTPI, recently retired Director of Conservation and Planning at the Peak District National Park Authority, with over 30 years’ experience in both the public and private sector and Chris May LARTPI. Chris is a Legal Associate of the RTPI with over 15 years’ experience advising on all aspects of town planning and development law at law firms within the East Midlands. Currently Partner specialising in Planning Law at Freeths and previously a Partner in the Planning Law Team at Howes Percival LLP, having joined 5 years ago to create an East Midlands Planning Law team for the firm.
