The Service is facing challenging times with a marked increase in workload, and the departure of some members of staff has seriously impacted our working practices and procesesses. This is resulting in delays to a number of our work streams.
We are obliged to prioritise our statutory duties i.e. the processing of planning applications. Please check our validation webpage for the latest details in relation to this area of work.
We are taking an equitable approach to all other areas of work and are dealing with enquiries in date order. We do understand that our customers will have their own individual priorities but we cannot pick and choose between those and request that you understand this. We respectfully ask for your patience in this regard. Unfortunately it is very difficult for us to provide a timescale for responses as no two applications/enquiries are alike; some may take five minutes to investigate and reply, others can take hours or even days. This being the case we request that customers refrain from regularly phoning to check when a response may be issued as this only serves to take us away from the job in hand. Thank you
General Advice
Please continue to check our Planning page which we will use to update you on further changes to our working practices, a summary of these practices are below.
- Planning applications should be submitted through the Planning Portal or sent to us by via email if a form has been downloaded and completed.
- Enquires should be made via email to planning.services@scarborough.gov.uk
Public Access also offers a function to track applications. Find out further details on how to do this and other things via Public Access.
- Commenting on Planning Applications. Anyone wishing to view and comment upon applications should use our Public Access website. We ask that comments be submitted through Public Access or, if need be, by email. Please remember to include your name and address.
- Payments. Please pay through Customer First on 232323, rather than sending a cheque in the post. Whilst we can now process paper our capabilities remain limited in this regard.
To make a payment:
- Phone 232323 and stay on the line to speak to an advisor (the automated payments line does not handle Planning related payments).
- When speaking to an advisor please state you are paying for a Planning Application or a Planning Enquiry.
- The advisor should ask you for some details, name etc. Please provide the advisor with a reference number, if you have one. If not, the address to which the application or enquiry relates will be most helpful.
- The advisor will process your payment. Please note, new payment regulation rules to increase security and prevent card fraud mean that the advisor cannot personally take your card details. You will be asked to do this yourself through your phone.
With regards to BACs payments, these can be made but should always include a reference which relates to Planning, this helps our colleagues in Accounts to tie the payment to Planning Services.
- Planning Committee our Planning & Development Committee meetings have now returned to the Council Chamber at the Town Hall. Please consult our Committee Procedures webpage for further information on what happens at these meetings or our Public Speaking page for details of the scheme. A schedule of meetings can be found on the Planning and Development Committee page. If you are wanting to check if or when an application is going to committee this information can be found on Public Access.
Planning Services staff thank you for your understanding