CALLS are being made to change the planning system for the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole areas.

Five town and parish councils have told BCP they would like to see three planning boards – one for each area, rather than just one for the whole area.

Dorset Council already operates an area-based planning system which local councillors say makes best use of local knowledge when deciding applications.

Chairman of Highcliffe and Walkford parish council, Bob Hutchings, has put the case for area planning boards to BCP councillors supported by Christchurch Town Council, Hurn and Burton and Throop and Holdenhurst parish councils.

“We believe that a change to the existing committee system would significantly improve the confidence the public would have in the decision-making process,” said Cllr Hutchings.

He told BCP Council members that it seems “highly probable” that only three committee members will have local knowledge of the site when the next planning application for Highcliffe goes before the planning committee.

He said in relation to Poole, it would be around 20 per cent of the committee.

Of 16 authorities which were compared in a report drawn up for the town and parish councils by a planning consultant, only four operate with just a single planning committee.

“The other 12 all have some form of area-based committee,” said Cllr Hutchings. “So, authorities such as Bristol, Bromley, Cheshire East, Barnet – all very similar in size, population and planning activity to BCP – operate successfully with more than one committee.”

He added: “We are fully aware that BCP Council has previously looked at this issue and then it decided to retain its single planning committee.

“But with elections less than two years away we think the lack of confidence that we’ve seen in the decision-making process needs to be addressed.”

The Council’s overview and scrutiny board says it will look at issues around planning, probably at its November meeting when other planning issues are also likely to be considered.

Pic – Chairman of Highcliffe and Walkford parish council, Cllr Bob Hutchings, making a case for changing BCP’s planning system.