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Speaking at planning committee

Most applications are decided under delegated powers but some are decided by the Planning Applications Committee. The committee is made up of elected councillors. They are responsible for making decisions on planning applications heard by committee.

Anyone with an interest in an application has the opportunity to speak. There are limits to the number of speakers for each application and the time allowed to speak. You will need to register to speak at the planning applications committee. Please see the information below for the details and timescales relating to your council.

The committee will only consider applications included on the agenda for that particular meeting. For further information on what to say, please visit Comment on a planning application.

How to register an interest to speak

If you wish to speak at committee, you must register your intention no later than 12 noon on the Tuesday before the Committee meeting. The quickest way to register is to contact us. You will need to provide your name, address, contact number, the application number and state whether you wish to speak in support of, or object to the application.

Speakers are registered on a first-come, first-served basis and places can fill up quickly. Sometimes more people than there are places, wish to speak. When you call to register we will advise you if this is the case and if so, we will put you in touch with others that are registered to speak on the same application.

Planning committee meetings start at 5pm and are held every 3 weeks on a Wednesday at County Hall. 

Those who have registered their interest to speak should arrive at the venue at least 20 minutes before the start to be briefed on the procedure. We cannot specify finish times for these meetings, as this will depend on the number and complexity of the applications being discussed.

Agendas and reports for forthcoming meetings are available on our committee pages. You can also read minutes from previous meetings and find full details of the councillors on our Planning Applications Committee.

Please read the document below for further details on time limits, number of speakers and procedures for planning application committee meetings for Lewes District Council.

 To request to speak at Planning Committee, you first need to find the application in our online planning system:

  1. Go directly to our online planning system.  
  2. Search for the planning application or view the most recent weekly list.       
  3. Select the Application Reference link.  
  4. When the 'Details of Planning Application' are displayed, select the Comment button at the top of the page.
  5. Complete and submit the details as requested.

Agendas and reports for forthcoming meetings are available on our committee pages.

Please read the guidance below for further information on procedures, times of meetings and venue.

South Downs National Park (SDNP) applications in the Lewes District that are referred to committee are decided by Lewes District Council Planning Applications Committee. If the application is deemed ‘significant’ by the SDNP, the application will be determined by a case officer at the SDNP or referred to their planning committee.

The committee agenda is split into two parts; one for hearing applications outside of the national park area, and the other for applications within the boundary. The same procedures, timescales and limits apply for South Downs National Park and Lewes District Council applications heard at committee.

Please refer to the guidance and procedures on the Lewes District Council tab for further information and to register to speak.

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