Agents Forum

This page contains important Information for Planning Agents

Flood Risk Information

New webpages have been published on our website following advice from the Environment Agency:

Flood Risk Information

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment and Tidal River Hazard Mapping Protocol 2012

Tidal River Hazard Mapping

Flood Risk Design Guidance

Environment Agency Presentation

Small Scale Wind Turbines

To assist applicants and agents a document titled Small Scale Wind Turbines - Shadow Flicker and Noise (pdf 55kb) has been published.

This guidance aims aims to provide advice in respect of the appropriate location and siting of small scale wind turbines in the Borough of Kings Lynn & West Norfolk; in so far as shadow, flicker and noise are concerned.

It also sets out the minimum information required for planning applications regarding noise.

Secure by Design

Secure by Design is part of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). It is a flagship UK police initiative to help ‘design out’ crime through the use of high-quality innovative products and processes.

The principles of the scheme have been proven to reduce the risk of crime and the fear of crime.

The 3D toolkit is aimed at providing visual examples of designing out crime by illustrating poorly designed features and then better alternative solutions. It also details the relevant and current standards required by ACPO Secured by Design. The toolkit is intended to compliment the ‘Secure by Design New Homes’ design guide that should be referred to for additional guidance and instructions.

The following documents came into effect from 27 March 2012:

National Planning Policy Framework

This document sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. More details can be found on the Communities and Local Government webpage.

Technical Guidance to the National Planning Policy Framework

Provides additional guidance to local planning authorities to ensure the effective implementation of the planning policy set out in the National Planning Policy Framework on development in areas at risk of flooding and in relation to mineral extraction.

This guidance retains key elements of Planning Policy Statement 25 and of the existing Minerals Policy Statements and Minerals Planning Guidance Notes which are considered necessary and helpful in relation to these policy areas. The retention of this guidance is an interim measure pending a wider review of guidance to support planning policy.

Planning Policy for Traveller Sites

This policy should be read in conjunction with the National Planning Policy Framework and replaces Circular 01/2006 Planning for Gypsy & Traveller Caravan Sites & Circular 04/2007 Planning for Travelling People.

Application Forms

It has come to the attention of The Planning Inspectorate that agent's can sometimes complete the online application form incorrectly by naming themselves as both agent and applicant. Where this happens the intended applicant, i.e. the client, is not shown at all on the application form. This is important as it could have several implications:

1	The ownership certificates are highly likely to be incorrect.
2	The name of the "applicant" will be confusing for 3rd parties/neighbours.
3	The right of appeal is given only to the applicant as it appears on the application form (so this takes sorting out at appeal stage which is time consuming and often a little confusing and ultimately leads to delays).
4	If the agent doesn't handle the appeal for the client, then the client could potentially lose their right of appeal if the agent doesn't give consent for the right of appeal to be transferred.

Can you please, as a matter of course, check the application forms and be sure to notify the agent or applicant of any issues with forms being filled out incorrectly.

We have raised this issue with the Planning Portal Support ourselves to try and resolve the issue before online submission of an application. We hope they will be able to introduce a series of checks to ensure the agent name and applicant name are not the same.