Equality Impact Assessments
Equality
Impact Assessment
Record Form
PLANNING SERVICE
DEVELOPMENT CONTROL
North Norfolk District Council
Page 1
Equality Impact Assessments
Directorate
Environment
Service
Person
Date
responsible for assessment
the
completed
assessment
Development Control
Development
Control Manager
(East)
Development
Control Manager
(West)
Title of the policy being
assessed
Planning Applications – Publicity and Consultation
The status of the policy
This is not a formal written policy but comprises well established practices which are
undertaken by the Council in its statutory role as local planning authority.
The Council can, on average, deal with anything between 1400 and 2000 planning applications
per year.
There is a statutory requirement to publicise all applications. The Council complies with this
requirement in two ways. Applications are publicised by means of a notice (or notices) placed
at or around the application site. Planning legislation also requires that for certain types of
application a notice has to be published in the local press. The notices provide information on
the development proposed, its address, how members of the public can inspect details of the
application and the procedure for making written representations.
Certain types of planning application require statutory consultation with particular bodies.
Dependent upon the nature of the application non-statutory consultation is also undertaken in
accordance with agreed criteria.
 To enable members of the public and interested parties to be informed of planning
applications, inspect the plans and details submitted with applications and to allow
written representations to be made to the Council within prescribed timetables.
 To comply with statutory requirements regarding publicity and consultation.
 To gain specialist advice on technical matters through consultation with relevant bodies
and organisations (including internal Council services).
1. What are the aims,
objectives and purposes
of the policy?
North Norfolk District Council
Page 3
2. Does the policy support
other objectives of the
council?
3. Who is intended to
benefit from the policy,
and in what way?
The policy supports the aims and objectives of the Council’s Corporate Plan – ‘Changing Gear’
in terms of:
 the Council’s role as a Community Leader ‘…take every opportunity to engage people
through consultation and to promote community involvement in decision making..’
 meeting the key planning targets.
 protecting the natural environment and built heritage.
The policy also supports, in part or in whole, the aims and objectives contained within the
Norfolk Local Area Agreement, in particular:
 Outcome 1 – Thriving Economy
 Outcome 3 – Improving Housing; and
 Outcome 4 – Environmental Sustainability
The policy supports the following core principle of the Council’s Code of Corporate Governance:
 Core Principle 6 - Engaging with local people and other stakeholders to ensure robust
public accountability
The policy supports the Council’s Communication Strategy 2002-2011 in terms of providing
public information, undertaking public consultation and encouraging public participation.



4. What outcomes are
anticipated from the
policy being in place?



5. Identify and select your
assessment team.
The public in terms of engagement in the planning process.
Applicants in terms of the proper handling of their applications in accordance with the
statutory process.
The Council in being able to reach sound and well informed decisions on applications.
Greater public involvement by those people who will be directly/in-directly affected by
development proposals
Compliance with statutory requirements regarding consultation of planning
applications/development proposals
Sound and transparent decision making
Name
Role
Responsibilities
6. What data have you
gathered for this
assessment?
How have you analysed
this data?
Development
(East)
Control
Manager
Manager of team
Development
(West)
Control
Manager
Manager of team
Planning Officer
Source and
Age of Data
2001 National Census
Support
Owner
www.norfolkinsight.org/uk
7. Who are the main
stakeholders of this
policy?
8. Are there any concerns
that the policy could
have a negative impact
with regard to race and
ethnicity?
Findings
Data Gaps
HMSO crown
copyright
Breakdown of local
population statistics
Whether
language
represents a barrier
to
effective
communication with
regard to race and
ethnicity.
Norfolk County
Council
Age and Disability
Information
Community
Staff/Members
Anyone who will be directly/indirectly affected by development
proposals
Town & Parish Councils
Amenity Societies
Yes, but future action
should await the
results of further
research
Partners
All members
County Council
Development Control
Consultation bodies
Committee members
Planning
Housing
Environmental Health
Economic Development
What evidence (actual data or assumptions) do you have to support
this?
The only potential issue relating to this ‘policy’ is one of language and
that people with little or no command of English would not be able to
understand the notices publicising planning applications. They would
therefore be unlikely to be able to forward their views about proposed
development in writing (as required to accept a valid representation)
or orally.
Whilst there is a potential that this ‘policy’ could have a negative
9. Are there any concerns
that the policy could
have a negative impact
with regard to gender?
No
10.Are there any concerns
that the policy could
have a negative impact
with regard to
disability?
Yes, but future action
should await the
results of further
research
impact with regard to race and ethnicity, which could be overcome by
including a number of the most common languages spoken across the
District on public notices, 2001 Census data shows that people of
black and minority ethnic origin make up less than 1% of the total
district population and there is no evidence available to suggest that
language represents a barrier. Therefore, at this moment in time the
cost of providing site notices which included a number of the most
common languages spoken across the District would be likely to
outweigh the benefit of doing so and/or the risk of not doing so. This
approach should be reviewed upon release of the data attached to the
2011 Census.
In the meantime, the Council’s use of the INTRAN service is available,
if appropriate, to help those people who do not speak or who cannot
read or write in English.
What evidence (actual data or assumptions) do you have to support
this?
There is no obvious reason why the ‘policy’ should impact upon
gender issues. As an indirect consequence however consultations
which take place with the community safety officer and police
architectural liaison officer can potentially have a positive impact by
helping avoid the type of layouts of new developments which could,
for example, pose a possible threat to lone women or other
vulnerable groups.
What evidence (actual data or assumptions) do you have to support
this?
Statistics indicate that the percentage of people in the district (aged
between 16-74) who are permanently sick or disabled is slightly
above the regional average but marginally below the national
average. People who are disabled and/or housebound could
potentially be unaware of planning notices publicising developments
close to where they live and even if they are aware, may not be able
to make their views known to the Council. This could result in
individuals being unfairly denied the opportunity to comment on
development proposals that may affect them directly or in-directly.
Whilst the Council has not collected data regarding this issue to
demonstrate whether or not the current public consultation methods
are denying individuals the opportunity to comment on development
proposals there is no compelling anecdotal evidence to suggest that
this has ever been a significant issue. Word of mouth is a very
common means by which people become aware of planning notices.
The Council could overcome this issue by introducing a procedure for
sending out neighbour letters as well as posting site notices. This is a
practice which some other planning authorities are known to adopt.
However, there is a significant financial cost associated with sending
out neighbour letters and this may well exceed the costs associated
with not undertaking such a consultation procedure. In any event,
providing such a service may not fully address the concern that some
disabled or housebound people may be unable to access plans or
write letters or email letters of representation without additional
help/support or care.
If the existing consultation methods were identified to be a
significant issue in the future the Council could consider introducing
neighbour consultation letters and/or other services to help disabled
or housebound residents.
11.Are there any concerns
that the policy could
have a negative impact
with regard to age?
No
12.Are there any concerns
that the policy could
have a negative impact
with regard to
religion/belief?
No
What evidence (actual data or assumptions) do you have to support
this?
It is not considered that the process of publicising planning
applications raises any negative impacts with regard to age as all
decisions are based on planning policy and relevant material
considerations. North Norfolk has an above average population of
residents aged 44 and over and a below average population younger
than 44. There is no evidence to suggest that age is necessarily a
barrier against people engaging in the planning process.
What evidence (actual data or assumptions) do you have to support
this?
It is not considered that the process of publicising planning
applications raises any negative impacts with regard to religion/belief
as all decisions are based on planning policy and relevant material
considerations. Census data shows that the proportion of the districts
population who stated a religion 77% were Christian and less than
1% were other than Christian.
Whilst the actual nature of some developments subject to a planning
application may raise religious or belief issues, the process of
publicising the applications does not.
13.Are there any concerns
that the policy could
have a negative impact
with regard to sexual
orientation?
14.Could the negative
impact you have
identified in questions 8
- 13 lead to the
potential for adverse
impact if the policy is
implemented?
Can this adverse impact
be justified on the
grounds of promoting
equality of opportunity
for one group?
Or any other reason?
Can the impact be
mitigated by existing
means?
If yes, what actions will
you undertake to
mitigate these impacts
No
No
What evidence (actual data or assumptions) do you have to support
this?
It is not considered that the process of publicising planning
applications raises any negative impacts with regard to sexual
orientation as all decisions are based on planning policy and relevant
material considerations. The sexual orientation of an applicant/agent
or an individual or group submitting a letter of representation has no
bearing on the outcome of a planning application.
Q 8 &10) Whilst some issues have been identified, there is no
evidence or data available to suggest that the current public
consultations procedures relating to planning applications are having
a significant adverse impact on residents across the District with
regard to race and ethnicity or disability. However, the situation will
be monitored and reviewed, in particular following the publishing of
the 2011 Census data.
With the introduction of new computer systems across the Planning
Service, the costs associated with sending out neighbour letters may
reduce to a level which makes adopting this approach more
acceptable. As such, a point may be reached where the costs of
implementation no longer outweigh the benefits or when the costs of
implementation no longer outweigh the risks of not doing so.
The key issue is to balance the risks and, at this stage, based on the
evidence and data available, there is no substantive justification to
amend the current consultation procedures, although this position
will be reviewed as an when new evidence or data becomes available.
and revise the policy?
15.Describe the
arrangements for
reporting and
publishing this
assessment.
Has this assessment been
undertaken by a minimum
of two staff?
TBC
Has this assessment been scrutinised by your
Directorate Steering Group?
Yes
Yes/No
If the policy is new, or requires a decision by Councillors to revise, has this Equality Impact Assessment
been included with the report?
Have any actions identified in this assessment been included in your service equality and diversity action
plan?
Completed by:
Signed off by:
N/A
No
Equality Impact Assessments
Produced by
David Lloyd associates
In partnership with
North Norfolk District Council
May 2008
North Norfolk District Council
Page 10