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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 submit a speech.  There are limits to the number of these for each application and the time allowed. You will need to register in advance. 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

Notice of Planning Applications Committee meetings will be shown on the Council’s website on the committee pages.

Registration for members of the public who want to speak on an application will open from the time the agenda for that meeting is published on the Council’s website.  

To register to speak on an application you should email committees@lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk. You will need to provide your name, address, contact telephone number, the application number, state whether your speech is in favour or against the application, and your relationship to the application site.

All requests to speak must be submitted no later than 12 noon two working days prior to the committee meeting (for example, the deadline would be 12 noon on the Monday prior to a Wednesday committee meeting).

  • Speakers are registered on a first-come, first served basis and places fill up quickly.
  • The Public Speaking Scheme rules place a limit on the numbers of public speakers allowed and time allotted to each speaker. The maximum time for each speech is three minutes, which is a speech of around 500 words, other than the Ward Members and Town/Parish Councillors who have five minutes, which is a speech of around 750 words.  

Whilst Covid restrictions to meetings are in place you can request for your speech to be read by someone else or a Council officer.  If you wish for your speech to be read out by an Officer, please email a copy of your speech to committees@lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk no later than 5 pm two days before the committee meeting.

You cannot distribute any photographic or other images for members to view during public speeches.  In addition, speeches must not contain aggressive or abusive language, or that make personal remarks regarding any Member, officer or third party will be rejected.

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 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:

How to register an interest to speak

Notice of meetings will be shown on the council’s website on our committee pages.

It is possible to request to speak on any planning application due to be considered by the Committee. Our Public Speaking Scheme guidelines are set out below:

Registration for members of the public who want to submit a speech on an application will open from the time the agenda for that meeting is published on the Council’s website (usually around 5 working days before the meeting). 

To register to speak on an application you should email committees@lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk. You will need to provide your name, address, contact telephone number, the application number, state whether your speech is in favour or against the application, and advise on your relationship to the application site.

All requests to speak must be submitted no later than 12 noon two working days prior to the committee meeting (for example, the deadline would be 12 noon on the Friday prior to a Tuesday committee meeting).

  • Speakers are registered on a first-come, first served basis.

  • Up to 2 members of the public can speak (up to 1 objector and 1 supporter).  In addition, the ward member will be allowed to speak. 

  • The maximum time allowed for each speech is three minutes, which is approximately 500 words.  

Whilst Covid-restrictions are in place, you can request that someone else speak on your behalf or request that a Council officer read out your speech.  If your request to speak has been accepted and you want your speech to be read by an officer, please email a copy to committees@lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk no later than 5 pm two working days before the committee meeting. 

Public speaking is not an opportunity to provide any photographic or other images or written submissions to the Committee.  In addition, speeches much not contain aggressive or abusive language, or make personal remarks regarding any Member, officer or third party.

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

You can also read minutes from previous meetings and find full details of the councillors on our Planning Committee.

Please read the document below for further details on planning committee meetings for Eastbourne Borough Council.

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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