Planning

To see details for all current and past planning applications in Exford Parish simply click the link below:

ENPA Planning Website

The planning body for our parish is the Exmoor National Park Authority. They have a legal requirement to notify our Parish Council of all planning applications in our parish, and sometimes of applications in adjacent parishes which may have an impact on our parish. We will then display a notice so that residents can view the documents and attend the Parish Council planning meeting if they wish. When we are consulted on such matters we are normally given a 21 day consultation period within which to respond. Councillors will be summoned to a meeting to discuss the applications as they arise and they may decide to organise a site visit if necessary to clarify matters and help towards a decision. We will then notify the ENPA whether we Support (positive) or Object (negative) or Have No Objection (neutral) to the application, with reasoning where appropriate.

It is important to note that your Parish Council is a consultee in this process – we can influence but do not have the power to make decisions about planning applications. Final planning decisions are either made by ENPA Planning Officers or are presented to the Exmoor National Park Authority Committee for a decision.

In commenting on planning applications it is important that the Parish Council considers only relevant planning issues. These include:

  • Consistency with the development plan for the area
  • Traffic and highway safety issues
  • Overlooking, loss of privacy and loss of light issues
  • Scale of the development
  • Design, appearance, layout and material
  • Loss of important open space or physical features
  • Noise, disturbance or smells
  • Local knowledge of drainage or other possible problems with the surface
  • Impact on the surroundings
  • Effect on trees

Issues that are not normally relevant include:

  • Effect on the value of property
  • Issues of market competition
  • Loss of view over other peoples land
  • Possible future development not included in the application
  • Private property rights such as boundary or access disputes
  • Issues relating to construction
  • Matters covered by other laws
  • The morals or motives of the developer
  • Religious issues