Planning Applications Committee

The Planning Applications Committee is a public meeting made up of elected Councillors who meet regularly to decide whether certain planning applications should be approved or refused. Most planning applications can be determined by the Executive Director using his delegated powers, but a small percentage cannot and must be presented to the Planning Applications Committee for them to consider the Officer's recommendations and decide whether the proposed development is acceptable or not.

The Committee decides those applications where:

  • there have been three or more objections and the Executive Director for Planning and Borough Development is recommending that planning permission should be granted
  • in most cases where a section 106 agreement is proposed
  • a Member has requested that the application be considered by Committee and
  • the Executive Director for Planning and Borough Development has decided that the application should be considered by the Committee
  • an application is contrary to the Council’s planning policies and the Executive Director’s recommendation is to grant permission

All reports, which include the planning officer’s recommendation for determination, will be available on the website five working days before the date of the committee. Upcoming meeting dates, agendas and minutes of previous meetings can be viewed at the following link

Major Planning Development Committee

Major Planning Applications are determined by a separate committee called the Major Planning Development Committee:

The Major Planning Development Committee decides those applications which:

  • involve a significant departure from the development plan
  • fall within the categories of development which must be referred to the Mayor of London
  • are referred by the Planning Applications Committee or
  • in the opinion of the Executive Director for Planning and Borough Development should be decided by this Committee

All reports, which include the planning officer’s recommendation for determination, will be available on the website five working days before the date of the committee. Upcoming meeting dates, agendas and minutes of previous meetings can be viewed at the following link

Requests to address the Committee

Members of the public who wish to speak at Committee meetings must contact the Planning Department by noon of the Friday before the Committee meeting (when the meeting is on a Tuesday) by telephoning 020 7361 3012. It is recommended that you read the Officer’s report before making the request, which is available under the application number. See Planning Search.

Representations to the Committee are objector-led. This means that if there are no objectors attending to make representations on an application, the applicant will not be allowed to speak. If objectors are permitted to make representations, a similar opportunity will be granted to the applicant. The exception to this is where an application is recommended for refusal, when the applicant may be allowed to speak at the discretion of the Chairman even if there are no objectors speaking.

Please note that there is no guaranteed right to speak. All requests are considered by and granted at the discretion of the Chairman of the Committee, who will take into account your objections.

There are published guidelines on the proceedings of the Planning Applications and Major Planning Development Committees and conduct of the members of these committees.

Improvements to our Planning Committees

You can read about the proposed improvements to our committees on our consultations page.  If you wish to comment on them please email your comments to planning@rbkc.gov.uk by 5pm on Friday 10 May.