(1) Subject to regulation 4 the Town and Country Planning (Appeals) (Written Representations Procedure) (England) Regulations 2009 are amended in accordance with this regulation.
(2) In regulation 2(1) (interpretation)—
(a) after the definition of “ the Act ” insert—
“advertisement application” means an application for express consent to display an advertisement made under Part 3 of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 ; and
“advertisement consent appeal” means an appeal under section 78(1) of the Act (as applied by regulations made under section 220 of the Act ) in relation to an advertisement application, except an appeal against the grant of any consent which is granted subject to conditions.
(b) after the definition of “electronic communication” insert—
“full statement of case”—
means, in relation to the appellant, the full statement of case (if any) submitted by the appellant with their notice of appeal under article 33 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2010 (appeals) ; and
in relation to everyone else, means and is comprised of, a written statement which contains full particulars of the case which a person proposes to put forward and copies of any documents which that person intends to refer to or put in evidence;
(c) after the definition of “local planning authority” insert—
“minor commercial appeal” means an appeal under section 78(1) of the Act in relation to a minor commercial application, except an appeal against the grant of any planning permission, consent, agreement or approval which is granted subject to conditions;
“minor commercial application” means—
an application for planning permission for development of an existing building or part of a building currently in use for any of the purposes set out in the Schedule to these Regulations, or
an application for any consent, agreement or approval required by or under a planning permission, development order or local development order in relation to such development,
where such an application does not include a change of use, a change to the number of units in a building, or development that is not wholly at ground floor level or that would increase the gross internal area of a building;
(3) In regulation 3 (application)—
(a) in paragraph (2) for sub-paragraph (a) substitute—
(a) either—
(i) a householder appeal is made in relation to an application which was made on or after 6th April 2009; or
(ii) an advertisement consent or minor commercial appeal is made in relation to an application which was made on or after 1st October 2013; and
(b) for paragraph (3)(a) substitute—
(a) an appeal which is not a householder, advertisement consent or minor commercial appeal is made—
(i) under section 78 of the Act in relation to an application which was made on or after 6th April 2009; or
(ii) under section 78 of the Act, as applied by regulations made under section 220 of the Act, in relation to an application determined, or a discontinuance notice served, on or after 1st October 2013; and
(c) after paragraph (3) insert—
(3A) For the purposes of paragraph (3)(a)(ii) an application is deemed to be determined if—
(a) a determination has not been made; and
(b) the period after which an appeal can be made has expired .
(4) In the heading of Part 1 insert “, Advertisement Consent and Minor Commercial” after “Householder”.
(5) In the heading of regulation 10 (decision on householder appeal under Part 1) substitute “, advertisement consent and minor commercial appeals” for “appeal”.
(6) In regulation 12 (questionnaire) substitute “1 week” for “2 weeks”.
(7) In regulation 13 (notice to interested persons)—
(a) in paragraph (1) substitute “1 week” for “2 weeks”; and
(b) in paragraph (2)(e) and (f) substitute “5 weeks” for “6 weeks”.
(8) In regulation 14 (representations)—
(a) in paragraph (3) substitute “full statement of case” for “written representations” and “5 weeks” for “6 weeks”;
(b) omit paragraph (4);
(c) in paragraph (5) omit the words from “and shall send a copy” to the end;
(d) for paragraph (6) substitute—
(6) The appellant shall send 2 copies of any comments they have on the local planning authority’s representations to the Secretary of State within 7 weeks of the starting date; and the Secretary of State shall, as soon as practicable after receipt, send a copy of those further comments to the local planning authority
(e) in paragraph (7) omit the words “and the local planning authority” and substitute “7 weeks” for “9 weeks”;
(f) after paragraph (7) insert—
(7A) Subject to regulation 15(2)(b) (third party representations) the Secretary of State may disregard further information from the local planning authority which was not sent within 5 weeks of the starting date unless that further information has been requested by the Secretary of State.
(g) in paragraph (8) omit “, (4)”.
(9) In regulation 15 (third party representations)—
(a) in paragraph (1) substitute “5 weeks” for “6 weeks”; and
(b) in paragraph (2)(b) substitute “ending within 7 weeks of the starting date” for “of not less than 2 weeks”.
(10) In Regulation 18(2)(f) (Mayor of London: modifications to regulation 14)—
(a) after paragraph (i) insert—
(ia) after paragraph (1) insert—
(1A) Where the documents referred to in paragraph (1) include a full statement of case, the appellant shall send that full statement of case to the Mayor as soon as practicable after the starting date.
(b) in paragraph (iii) in inserted paragraph (4A)—
(i) insert “do so in the form of a full statement of case and” after “the Mayor shall”;
(ii) substitute “that full statement of case” for “those representations”; and
(iii) substitute “5 weeks” for “6 weeks”;
(c) for paragraph (iv) to (vii) substitute—
(iv) at the end of paragraph (5) insert “and the Mayor, and shall send a copy of any representations made to the Secretary of State by the Mayor to the appellant and to the local planning authority”;
(v) in paragraph (6), after “the local planning authority’s” insert “or the Mayor’s”, and after “local planning authority” insert “and the Mayor”;
(vi) after paragraph (6) insert—
(6A) The local planning authority and the Mayor shall send 3 copies of any comments they have on each other’s representations to the Secretary of State within 7 weeks of the starting date; and the Secretary of State shall, as soon as practicable after receipt, send a copy of those further comments to the other party and the appellant.
(vii) for paragraphs (7) and (7A) substitute—
(7) The Secretary of State may disregard further information from the appellant, the Mayor and the local planning authority which was not sent within 7 weeks of the starting date unless that further information has been requested by the Secretary of State.
(viii) in paragraph (8) substitute “(3), (4A), (6) and (6A)” for “(3) and (6)”.
(11) After regulation 20 (revocation transitional and saving provision) insert—
Minor commercial development uses
Shops
(1) Use for all or any of the following purposes—
(a) for the retail sale of goods other than hot food,
(b) as a post office,
(c) for the sale of tickets or as a travel agency,
(d) for the sale of sandwiches or other cold food for consumption off the premises,
(e) for hairdressing,
(f) for the direction of funerals,
(g) for the display of goods for sale,
(h) for the hiring out of domestic or personal goods or articles,
(i) for the washing or cleaning of clothes or fabrics on the premises,
(j) for the reception of goods to be washed, cleaned or repaired,
(k) as an internet café, where the primary purpose of the premises is to provide facilities for enabling members of the public to access the internet,
where the sale, display or service is to visiting members of the public.
Financial and professional services
(2) Use for the provision of—
(a) financial services,
(b) professional services (other than health or medical services), or
(c) any other services (including use as a betting office) which it is appropriate to provide in a shopping area,
where the services are provided principally to visiting members of the public.
Restaurants and cafes
(3) Use for the sale of food and drink for consumption on the premises.
Drinking establishments
(4) Use as a public house, wine-bar or other drinking establishment.
Hot food takeaways
(5) Use for the sale of hot food for consumption off the premises.