Planning Practice Note
Planning and Development Functions: Who Does What
The purpose of this Practice Note is to give information about planning and development functions and the range of authorities that are responsible for them.
INTRODUCTION
The range of functions in the general field of planning and development is wide and has complex relationships. It is not remarkable, therefore, that the public is sometimes confused about who does what. It is reasonable for the public to start with the assumption that 'The Council' is responsible for everything, forgetting that there are currently 3 tiers of Councils in South Shropshire:
- Shropshire County Council
- Information and services can be accessed through:
www.shropshireonline.gov.uk
- Information and services can be accessed through:
- South Shropshire District Council
- (in most parishes) a Parish or Town Council
- Parish/Town Councils
- Parish/Town Councils
In addition to these locally elected bodies, there are other agencies with parallel and complementary functions in specific cases.
This Practice Note does not give a complete list of the functions of each body. It concerns only those functions with a planning or environmental context.
For access to these and other functions please refer to the relevant body's website.
SOUTH SHROPSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL
The District Council provides many of the local service and regulatory functions:
- Planning, including
- Development control (except minerals and waste);
- Enforcement;
- Historic buildings;
- Conservation Areas;
- Planning policy (Local Plan);
- Tree Preservation Orders;
- Building regulations, including:
- Dangerous structures;
- Access for disabled people;
- Street naming and numbering;
- Land charges including searches;
- Rights of way
- Diversions under the Planning Acts (but not diversions under the Highways Act -see Shropshire County Council);
- Environmental health, including:
- Food hygiene;
- Water quality and pollution;
- Contaminated land;
- Health and Safety at work;
- Housing
- Strategic housing role, facilitating the South Shropshire Housing partnership;
- Private sector housing standards;
- Housing regeneration;
- Disability grants
- (Note that the Council has no Council housing. Please refer to South Shropshire Housing Association);
- Waste services including:
- Household refuse collection;
- Street cleaning and litter bins;
- Waste minimisation and recycling;
- Local licensing
- Entertainment licences;
- Taxis licensing;
- Licensing for a wide range of other establishments
- From 2004, liquor licensing.
- Economic development
- Regeneration programmes;
- Business premises to let
SHROPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
The County Council provides most of the high-cost functions for the Shropshire as a whole: education, social services and highways. The following are relevant to planning:
- Planning
- Strategic policy;
- Strategic plan monitoring;
- Demographic information;
- Minerals and Waste Plans;
- Minerals and Waste development control; Economic development (including rural regeneration);
- Sustainability;
- Highways
- Transport planning;
- Highway maintenance;
- Highway signs; Highway lighting;
- Traffic Regulation;
- Highway construction and improvements;
- Public transport;
- Highway safety;
- Rights of way
- Statutory rights of way maps; Diversions and extinguishments under the Highways Act;
- Environment
- Land drainage;
- Forestry and ecology;
- Landscape projects;
- Historic environment
- Archaeology, advice and consultancy;
- Trading Standards
- Agricultural;
- Commercial;
- Retail;
- Waste services
- Waste planning;
- Waste disposal.
PARISH AND TOWN COUNCILS
Most parishes in South Shropshire have a Town or Parish Council. You can find contacts for Parish and Town Councils on the Council's website: Parish/Town Councils
Commenting on planning applications
Most Parish and Town Councils comment on planning and other applications in their parish; but they do not make planning decisions.
Locally provided services
Most Parish and Town Councils provide local services such as:
- Open spaces;
- Lighting on footpaths and minor streets;
- Bus shelters;
- Cemeteries;
- Markets and fairs.
OTHER AGENCIES
Statutory functions are also performed by a number of Non-Governmental Organisations:
- South Shropshire Housing Association
- Provides rented housing;
- Maintains the unified waiting list for social housing on behalf of the Council;
- Provides homelessness and other housing services to the Council and to other housing associations.
- Planning Inspectorate
- Deals with appeals against refusals of planning permission by the LPA and other matters.
- Environment Agency
- Pollution control;
- River quality;
- Contaminated land;
- Waste licensing and regulation.
- Statutory Undertakers
- Severn Trent Water (water and sewerage);
- Aquila (electricity);
- Transco (gas);
- British Telecom.
- Health and Safety
- Executive Health and safety in certain categories of workplace.
- English Heritage
- Advice on listed buildings and conservation areas;
- Advice to the Government (DCMS) on listed buildings and conservation areas
- Local Government Ombudsman
- Complaints about maladministration in local government services.
- Citizens Advice Bureaux
- Consumer advice;
- Advice on public services;
- Debt counselling.
- Libraries
- Public and community information
FUTHER INFORMATION
For further information please contact Planning Support
© Copyright South Shropshire District Council,
Stone House, Corve Street, Ludlow, Shropshire, SY8 1DG.
Tel: (01584) 813000
Fax: (01584) 813128
e-mail: planning@southshropshire.gov.uk
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Subscribe to changes to this page here.Author: Planning and Building Control. Last Updated: 13/2/2007.
