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Members Advisory Panels Introduction

The Council operates a Members Advisory Panel (MAP) for major applications. The panel is convened as required and is an opportunity for developers to present proposals to Members at an early stage and gain initial feedback to gauge Members initial views on proposals to inform their development. A panel meeting is charged as 1 meeting under the relevant pre-application fee.

Purpose

To enable Members to input into emerging proposals at an early stage to inform the developers thinking and the development of their proposals without prejudicing the views that they may later choose to express in response to any future planning application for the development.

Membership of the Panel

A panel will be convened when a developer submits a proposal for pre-application discussion with officers on a major development and those discussions have progressed to a stage where the developer and officers agree that engaging Members in the discussion would help to progress the matter.

Any meeting of the panel will be chaired by the Chairman of Planning Committee and will comprise of the following as agreed with the Chair of Planning Committee:-

  •    Portfolio Holder Strategic Planning.

  •    Portfolio Holder Coast, Country and Environment.

  •    Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Homes and Communities.

  •    Vice Chair Strategic Planning Committee.

  •    Vice Chair Planning Committee.

  •    Ward Members as appropriate to the site (inc. adjacent ward members as appropriate)

  •    Other relevant portfolio holders and assistant portfolio holders (as appropriate) as determined by the Chair of the Panel.

  •    Relevant officers from key consultees such as Devon County Council etc.

  •    Relevant officers from other teams and services of EDDC

The Panel Meeting

Prior to the meeting Members should acquaint themselves with the site and it’s surroundings.

The panel, officers and developers to convene either in person at the Council’s offices or virtually through zoom or similar as appropriate.

The meeting to then follow the format of:

  1. Meeting to open with introductions and Members to declare any interests.
  2. Developer makes a presentation to the Member’s Advisory Panel and Officers of no more than 30 minutes.
  3. Members to ask questions of the Developers, seek clarification, test arguments but not to give any form of view in support or against the proposals.
  4. Developers are asked to leave the meeting.
  5. Officers advise Members of the key issues and policy considerations as they see it.
  6. Members discuss the merits of the proposal
  7. Members advise officers of the comments that they wish to feedback to the developer
  8. Meeting is closed.
  9. Officers draft a response to be sent on behalf of the panel to the developer and circulate with the minutes for panel member’s comment.
  10. Final minutes and letter is agreed by the Chairman.
  11. Officers send panel response to the developer.
  12. In the event an application is made for the same or similar proposal on the site from the developer then all pre-application details including the panel minutes and letter are published.

Administration

  • All meetings to be arranged and administered by the Planning Service.
  • All meetings to be minuted in the same format as committee meetings.
  • All virtual meetings to be recorded and saved.