Planning issues have been identified as the prime concern of members of the Society and other residents.

We receive a weekly list of planning applications from the Development Services of Canterbury Council. These are examined to see which either fall within, or are expected to impact our area . These are allocated to two members of the Committee who act as planning assessors. Their reports and comments are considered by the full committee and appropriate responses to Development Control are made, customarily by e-mail, in either support of, or objection to, a particular application.

In due course, the Society are invited to attend the Planning Committee meeting where we have a 3 minute slot to repeat or embellish our original comments.

Where applications are refused and the applicant appeals to the Planning Inspectorate we are also invited to put our representations to the Inspector and attend if necessary Enquiries and site meetings. This process is by definition, somewhat long-winded but we have found that perseverance often pays!

The current rate of development in the city, spurred on by various directives from central government, is high and constant vigilance is required to provide some checks and balances against over-development. In this we have been quite successful in marshalling resistance to excessive development and encouraging more reasonable developments in our area and elsewhere.

A member of the Committee is also our representative on the Canterbury Conservation Advisory Committee enabling us to be aware of other developments in the district that affect conservation areas

We are fortunate in Canterbury as the public have free access to the computerised planning application system run by the Council. This can be accessed HERE.