This course provides attendees with a solid understanding of planning committees and decisions made by local authorities and is suitable for anyone who needs to understand the key aspects of planning committees including lawyers, planners and committee officers. The course includes a general introduction to local authority decisions including delegation; consultation; member interests, bias and pre-determination; human rights; and the public sector equality duty. The course will then provide a specific focus on planning decisions including:
An overview of the legal context for planning decisions
What the development plan is and what weight it should be given
An explanation of policy presumptions and how to apply them
Material considerations including section 106 agreements
There will also be materials on:
Recent changes to the legal and procedural context following Covid 19
Digital planning and its impact on planning decisions
Top tips for preparing for committee meetings
Planning report checklists
Strategic Planning Advisor, Pinsent Masons LLP
Sue's experience of planning law began when she was working as a trainee legal executive with Broxbourne Borough Council in 1984 and most of her professional practice since has been in this area. She has worked in both the public and private sector as well as in academia and her experience includes project management of the Grand Arcade retail regeneration of Cambridge city centre, nine years as a professional support lawyer at Herbert Smith Freehills and a year as assistant monitoring officer at Essex County Council. She lectures at Brighton University and has a doctorate on the meaning and interpretation of sustainable development in the Planning Framework.