Shropshire planners face busy meeting after last three sessions cancelled
Shropshire Council has said its South Planning Committee will have a large agenda when it meets next week - after the last three meetings were cancelled.
The committee has not met since June, leading to councillors from south Shropshire to question why its business had "dried up".
Councillor Andy Boddington, who represents Ludlow North, will ask the cabinet member for planning at Thursday's full council meeting to explain the repeated cancellations.
He said: "The South Planning Committee has not met for three months.
"In past years it has considered a wide range of applications from remote affordable housing to tables outside a café and from retail developments to urban extensions.
"Many applications that unitary councillors put forward to be considered are currently rejected by planning managers as lacking 'material reasons' for a committee call-in.
Requirements
"Why has business for the South Planning Committee dried up?"
Councillor Boddington will also ask, during councillors' questions, what the specific requirements are for deciding which applications go to committee.
Councillor Robert Macey, cabinet member for housing, said: "Business for the south committee has not dried up, it has simply been a fact that for a small period there have been no applications ready for determination by the committee that meet the appropriate triggers for referral.
"The committee is meeting this month and will have a relatively large agenda."
The committee has seen five meetings out of the last 12 cancelled, including those scheduled for for July 3, July 31 and August 29. The agenda for next Tuesday's meeting is expected to be available on the council's website from today.
