Planning affects us all, shaping the places we work and live and the services and facilities we use.

Therefore it is important that everyone can comment on and be involved in making planning decisions. We need residents, businesses and other organisations to use local knowledge and expertise to help shape development in Exeter.

Exeter City Council, as the local planning authority, is required to explain how we will involve the community in decision making. This Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) is a legal requirement (1) and sets out how we want to involve our communities, organisations and other interested parties when we prepare our planning policies and make decisions on planning applications.

We will use different ways to work with you so that everyone can be well informed and understands how they can contribute, engage with and influence planning policy and decisions on planning applications.

People with local knowledge are valuable in helping to shape the places where they live and work, particularly as they are the people who will be most affected by the decisions made.

(1 - Under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004)

 

Planning Policy

The Development Plan - Exeter City Council, as the local planning authority, is responsible for deciding where development takes place. All local planning authorities are required to produce what is called a ‘Development Plan’. The Development Plan is the starting point for determining planning applications, although there are other matters which will be considered as part of decision making.

The Development Plan can consist of a single planning document or a series of planning documents. Taken together, these documents will steer the future development of the area. More specifically the documents must set out our priorities for development, identify sites for development and provide a comprehensive set of policies to address both strategic and detailed planning issues.

Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) - Local planning authorities can choose to develop separate documents to provide additional detailed guidance to support the policies set out in the Development Plan. SPDs can be used to provide further guidance for development on specific sites or on a particular issue. SPDs must also be taken into account when making planning decisions.

Neighbourhood Planning – Communities may decide to produce a Neighbourhood Plan for their area; if, following a successful referendum, the plan is ‘made’, the policies within it become part of the Development Plan and must be considered when making decisions on planning applications. As the local planning authority, Exeter City Council has a duty to support the communities that may choose to undertake Neighbourhood Planning.

 

Planning Applications and Permissions

Planning Permissions - Planning applications are required for a specific development at a specific location, which can range from an extension to someone’s house to proposals for larger schemes such as new shopping centres, offices and housing developments. These applications are submitted to the local planning authority for a decision as to whether planning permission is granted. This decision will be made in accordance with the planning policies in the Development Plan and any other relevant considerations.

Other Planning Permissions - Some forms of development require a prior notification of the intention to undertake works and in some cases consultation with neighbours may be carried out in accordance with legal requirements. Certain types of development do not require planning permission as they are Permitted Development.

 

More information

Further information in relation to both planning policy and planning applications can be found on our website.

Or, if you still have questions, the teams can be contacted via email and phone:

Planning Policy

General enquiries: planning.policy@exeter.gov.uk 01392 265080

Planning Applications and Permissions

General enquiries: planning@exeter.gov.uk 01392 265223