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Greater Cambridge Shared Planning

Delegated planning decisions

Schemes of delegation

The Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service operates 3 Planning Committees: 

Each of the 3 Planning Committees has its own adopted scheme of delegation which sets out the range of decisions that designated officers may make on behalf of the Councils. Decisions on the majority of planning proposals and associated applications are delegated to designated officers without the need for them to be decided by members at Planning Committee.

Delegated decisions are carefully considered by the case officer who outlines their recommendations, and reasons behind the recommendations, in a balanced delegated report, which is checked by a designated officer before a decision is agreed and issued.

By operating a scheme of delegation, decisions are made in good time, in line with statutory target dates, and the Planning Committees can concentrate on the most contentious and significant proposals.

The Cambridge City scheme of delegation can be found in the Cambridge City Council Constitution in section 5.9 on page 105. The Scheme of Delegation agree by the Joint Development Control Committee can be found on page 110 of the same document. 

The South Cambridgeshire scheme of delegation can be found in the South Cambridgeshire District Council Constitution on page 59 of Part 3.  

South Cambridgeshire District Council Planning delegation meetings

As set out in the South Cambridgeshire scheme of delegation, we hold a weekly Planning Delegation meeting to consider Parish Council and Member planning committee call-in requests (planning permission requests) for the South Cambridgeshire District Council Planning Committee.

The minutes for the latest delegation meeting will be uploaded as soon as they are confirmed by the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development at the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service, in consultation with the Chair of the South Cambridgeshire District Council Planning Committee.

Planning applications