Clustered planning applications

A resident of Clifford's Mesne raised an interesting question with her town councillor. She pointed out that when the District Council issues information about planning applications, the accompanying maps don't show neighbouring properties where consent has been granted but the development has not yet started. This is a good question because an application needs to be considered in the light of what else is going to happen nearby, not just what's there at the moment.

Under present straitened circumstances it is impossible to conceive of the Council doing the extra work to provide more information than the statutory minimum, and it would be an unreasonable burden on applicants themselves to make them include that detail. However, it is possible to find out for yourself via the planning portal. In its map view you can zoom in and see all existing and past applications (going back five years, for example) and from there find out what has been applied for. But if you cannot to do it yourself, don't worry: feel free to ask your Lib Dem ward councillors (in the case of Newent and Taynton that's Gill Moseley or Vilnis Vesma) to check it out for you.