Planning and Licensing

Planning

When someone submits a planning application, the application is advertised. This is so people in the area can have their say. The council then meets up and discusses the positives and negatives that come with the proposed development. The local councillors then decide whether it should be approved or denied.

If a planning application is denied, the developers can appeal the case. The councillors make their decision based on different planning policies. The council also enforce regulations and conditions if the application is approved.

This can be a great source for stories, due to the opposition the application can face.

Licensing

Licensing is deciding whether or not places should get a license to sell alcohol. Much the same as with planning applications, the councillors debate the positives and negatives, and then decide whether or not to give a license. Again, the applicants can appeal this decision if it is refused.

The main way to report these meetings are to read the agenda, which is given out to those that attend, and to research the applications. Also, ringing up people that are involved is a good way to find out more information not mentioned in the meetings. If attending meetings, you should always understand what has been said before leaving, otherwise you will not fully understand what you are writing. Attending meetings is also a great way to get peoples reactions.

Although a great way to find stories, I think it would be difficult to understand what is being said during the meeting unless you have researched beforehand and have had previous experience of this sort of meeting. During our lecture we had a go at summarising a planning application agenda, which I found extremely difficult. However, if you gain the proper information, it could be a great local story, as people are always affected.