Planning

The rules governing planning permission are complex and therefore the parish council cannot provide definitive advice to individuals and would therefore recommend householders seek professional assistance or guidance from the Somerset Council.

One important consideration is whether the property falls within the Conservation Area within Halse, since this affects not only building works but also whether permission is required to undertake either pruning or the removal of trees at a property. Contact Somerset Council for advice on this topic.

Under planning legislation, Parish Councils are entitled to be notified of every planning application in the parish. However this does not apply to agricultural buildings or land, which is covered under different legislation.

Somerset Council is the local planning authority (LPA) which makes decisions on planning applications in the area. Halse Parish Council is a non-statutory consultee but its views and those of the local residents are taken into consideration by Somerset Council officers and the planning committee.

The Parish Council is usually given 21 days in which to comment on a planning application and frequently this consultation period falls between meetings. Sometimes the planning authority will grant a small extension of the consultation period in order for large or contentious items to be discussed at the next meeting. Alternatively the Chair of the Parish Council will call an extraordinary meeting to discuss a contentious issue to ensure the Parish Council’s comments are submitted to meet the deadline set by the LP

However the Parish Council has adopted: The Scheme of Delegation: Planning Applications. Under this scheme the council delegates authority to the parish clerk to receive, log and process planning applications notified to the council by the local planning authority. This document includes information on Material Planning Considerations (Valid Material Grounds and Non-Material Grounds). The Scheme of Delegation: Planning Applications can be found on the Policy Documents page of this website for more information.

To view the details of any application, click on the Somerset Council’s Planning Website. Then click on Application Search and enter the Somerset Council Reference number shown.