An overhaul of planning rules in Copeland looks set to be given the green light this week week.

The suggested changes come after the authority’s former planning panel flew in the face of their own officers’ recommendations on several major schemes.

There was also an instance when councillors ignored the safety advice of a Highways experts and went against the council’s local plan – the document that sets out planning issues such as house-building targets.

Whenever members go against their own officers or the advice of statutory bodies, the applicant has grounds for appeal which can leave the authority open to paying costs.

A report by planning chief Nick Hayhurst also revealed that the rules have “not been reviewed for a number of years.”

He added that the operation of the planning panel had been “subject to intense scrutiny” over the past two years because of the scale of projects and the level of public interest, placing “greater pressure” on both members and officers.

Under the new rules, “no further representations” will be allowed from objectors or supporters of a scheme if members go against officers’ advice.

The application would come back to the panel after a month-long “cooling off period” during which time members must come up with “clear and convincing reasons” which they should be “prepared to explain in full”.

The changes would also mean that members who were not present the first time around will not be permitted to take part in the discussion or to vote unless they have listened to a recording or read a full transcript of the original meeting and signed a declaration to that effect.

The report concludes that the changes are “essential” to ensure the panel “operates in a fair and open manner”.
Should the revised rules be agreed, the new batch of councillors serving on the planning panel would have to attend training before taking part in meetings.

The new protocols also stress that members “must read” reports on the agenda ahead of meetings, with the onus on them to make sure they have all they need to make an informed decision.

The changes are due to go before a full meeting of the council on Tuesday for consideration and would come into force on July 1.