Planning Applications & Decisions
- The majority of planning decisions are taken at the Borough Council level. If you would like to know more about a particular planning application, details should be accessible on your Borough Council website, where documents pertaining to specific planning applications can be found: Ribble Valley Borough Council – Planning Applications | South Ribble Borough Council – Planning Applications | Preston City Council – Planning
Influencing the planning process
- Many constituents contact me about planning applications. Constituents can get involved in the planning process at various stages, guidance on how to get involved can be found here: Influencing the planning process – House of Commons Library
Please note that MPs do not have any formal role in the planning process.
Those taking decisions in the planning process (planning officers, councillors, inspectors and ministers) have to follow strict procedural rules. These rules do not allow for their decisions to be influenced by private discussions with anyone outside the formal process.
The government advises that “MPs should not seek to lobby planning ministers privately” and that only representations that are made available to all interested parties can be taken into account.
it does not matter to the planning system, however, who puts an argument across (whether it is an MP or a constituent). At all stages where the public can get involved in the planning process, comments are considered equally on their merits regardless of who makes them.
Housing Advice
- Shelter is a national housing and homelessness charity providing confidential, free advice and information on a range of housing problems: Shelter – Housing Advice | Free helpline: 0808 800 4444
- Citizens Advice offers guidance on landlord issues, buying or renting a home, and your rights as a tenant: Citizens Advice – Housing
- Leasehold Advisory Service provides free advice on residential leasehold and park home law. They can provide initial advice and guidance on residential long leasehold (a flat or house with a lease longer than 21 years) and park homes law. They can also advise on fire safety to leaseholders living in high-rise buildings: Leasehold Advisory Service – Types of Advice