4 - Service Standards - November 25 RevA
Renfrewshire Council · 4 November 2025
Back to Planning and Climate Change Policy Board — 4 November 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Planning and Climate Change Policy Board On: 4 November 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Service Standards – Planning ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report seeks to outline the proposed service standards as they apply to the Planning Service. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board agree the Service Standards outlined in Appendix 1 of this report. _________________________________________________________ 3. Service Standards 3.1 The Planning Service is a statutory function and is responsible for delivering a wide range of services. 3.2 The service is primarily responsible, via the respective teams, for the following matters: the preparation of the Local Development Plan and associated guidance; the processing and determination of planning and other such applications; and the investigation of potential breaches of planning control and undertaking appropriate action to resolve any identified breach.
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PUBLIC 3.3 In order to ensure the service provides a high-quality customer service and meets key performance indicators it is considered important to outline the service standards which apply to the Planning Service at Renfrewshire Council. 3.4 Appendix 1 outlines the service standard as it applies to both the Development Standards and Strategy and Place Teams. Development Standards 3.5 The Service Standards as they apply to the Development Standards Team seek to ensure that the service is responsive, helpful and meeting the needs of all our customers. 3.6 In order to ensure planning and other such applications are processed in an efficient and effective manner the service standards outline what can be expected when submitting an application. 3.7 In addition, it should be noted that the service standards outline circumstances whereby applications will be returned, or potentially refused, owning to invalid submissions or the lack of information provided. 3.8 The Service Standard also outlines what customers can expect when submitting representations in respect of live applications. 3.9 Expectations are also detailed in relation to potential breaches of planning control. Strategy and Place 3.10 The Service Standards as they apply to the Strategy and Place Team set out what can be expected by customers. 3.11 It should be noted that the team will publish the development plan and associated guidance on the Council’s website together with the Development Plan Scheme outlining the timetable and programme for the preparation of the new Local Development Plan. 3.12 In addition, the Service Standard sets outs what can be expected when participating in consultations relating to the emerging development plan and associated guidance. _________________________________________________________ 4. Monitoring and Review 4.1 The Service Standards will be monitored and reviewed on a regular basis to ensure they remain fit for purpose and meet the needs of both the service and our customers.
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PUBLIC 4.2 In the first instance it should be noted that a future revision will be presented to a future meeting of the Planning and Climate Change Policy Board which will incorporate Service Standards as they apply to Building Standards and Roads Development Control. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None 3. Community/Council Planning – None. 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. Climate Risk – None. 13. Children’s Rights – not applicable. 14. Cosla Policy Position – None. Author: David Love, Chief Planning Officer. Tel: 07483410182; Email: david.love@renfrewshire.gov.uk
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PUBLIC APPENDIX 1: SERVICE STANDARDS Introduction This Charter details what the Planning Service does and sets out what our customers can expect when engaging with us in relation to planning matters. The Planning Service is responsible for delivering a wide range of services and is split into two separate teams: Development Standards The Development Standards Team is responsible for the processing, consideration and determination of applications for planning permission and other such related permissions such as listed building consent, conservation area consent and treeworks. In addition, the team is responsible for investigating and seeking resolutions to reports of potential breaches in planning control. Strategy and Place The Strategy and Place Team is responsible for the preparation of the local development plan and associated guidance. In addition, the team also support the delivery of the Strategic Housing Investment Programme and the Local Housing Strategy.
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PUBLIC Overall Expectations We will: Always be polite, respectful, professional and helpful; Deal with all customers equally; Ensure that suitably experienced staff are able to deal with each respective query; Seek, where possible, to resolve enquires at the first point of contact; Direct customers to the relevant person/department should the Planning and Building Standards Service not be able to assist; Use plain English when communicating with customers and avoid the use of any technical language or jargon; Direct customers to further information which may be available online; Be honest, open and accountable for our actions; Listen to our customers and consult with others; and Promote a culture of continuous improvement in our processes, procedures and services. If you contact us by telephone, we will: Answer your call promptly; Introduce ourselves; Help you immediately if we can; Direct you to further information online where relevant, including online forms and guidance; and Where we are unable to resolve your query immediately we will take further details and call you back at a convenient time. We will return calls between 9am-12.30pm, Monday to Friday. If you write or email, we will: Provide a full response within 10 working days, or we will tell you if a longer timescale will apply; Reply in plain English which is free from technical language or jargon; Direct you to further information online where relevant, including online forms and guidance; and Provide the name and contact details of the person dealing with your query. If you visit us, we will: Agree an appointment time which is convenient to you; Wear identification badges; Direct you to further information online where relevant, including online forms and guidance; and Provide follow up details within a timescale agreed at the meeting. When we visit you, we will: Visit at a time which is convenient to you; Wear identification badges; and Seek to keep our appointment time, however should this not be possible or we are delayed we will inform you as soon as it is possible to do so.
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PUBLIC Development Standards The Development Standards Team are responsible for the processing and determination of all applications received including applications for planning permission, listed building consent, advertisement consent and applications for treeworks. We encourage everyone to submit all applications via the Scottish Government ePlanning website at https://www.edevelopment.scot/eDevelopmentClient/default.aspx. What you can expect from us when submitting an application: Within 3 working days of submitting your application we will aim to acknowledge receipt of your application. Within 5 working days of submitting your application we will aim review your application and advise of any issues which would prevent the application being registered as a valid application. It should be noted that it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all submitted applications meet the validation criteria. In addition, should any application not be submitted in our expected format the application will be returned. Appendix 1 details our additional expectations when submitting a planning application. In the event that a submitted application is invalid, we will write to you and advise of what you require to do for the application to be registered and validated. We will set a deadline for the submission of further details. Should the additional information not be submitted within the deadline provided we will return your application together with the application fee. Confirmation of validation will be issued within 3 working days of applications being made valid. Within 3 working days of any application being validated we will aim to issue the required neighbour notification and consult on the application, where relevant. Within 20 working days of any application being validated we will aim to undertake a site visit, where required. In the event that the requirement for further information is identified as part of the consideration of the application, we will write to you to request the additional information and set a deadline for the submission of the information in question. Should the information not be submitted by the set deadline, we will consider how best to proceed which may include refusing the application due to a lack of information. We will aim to issue decisions relating to all applications within the timeframes set out within legislation or within the timeframes agreed in related processing agreements and/or time extensions. Expected timeframes for each type of application are detailed within Appendix 2. What you can expect from us when commenting on an application: All validated applications will be available to view on the portal immediately after they are validated. All documentation submitted with the application will be available to view Comments relating to an application can be submitted via the planning portal. A guide detailing how to comment on applications can be found here.
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PUBLIC You will receive an automatic email acknowledgement when commenting on an application using the planning portal. In the event that your comment is submitted by letter or email, we will aim to acknowledge receipt of your comment within 3 working days. We will aim to publish all comments received on the planning portal, including name and address, within 3 workings days of receipt. We will not accept any late comments. We will not accept any anonymous comments. We will re-notify you of any changes to the application if they raise any new planning issues. If the application is to be considered and determined by the Planning and Climate Change Policy Board we will notify you of the date/time of the meeting. Following the determination of an application we will aim to notify you of the outcome within 3 working days. What you can expect from us when reporting a potential breach in planning control: Within 5 working days of submitting a report of a potential breach in planning control we will aim to acknowledge receipt of your report. An investigation into the reported matter will be undertaken and a response updating the complainant will be provided within 28 working days of the initial acknowledgment. This response will also advise what proposed action will be taken, if any. This may include the need for additional investigation prior to deciding on a course of action or if the matter does not involve a breach of planning control or if it is not intended to take any further action. We will aim to keep people informed about significant stages in the progress of the reported case. Where there has been no progress for a period of 28 working days, the case officer will provide an update. Where a planning breach cannot be resolved and action is justified, a formal notice will be served. The Council will write to the developer / applicant / landowner in advance of serving any notice warning of the intent to do so. Thereafter, the recipient of the notice will be advised as to what action is required, the timescales involved and the available options to resolve the issue.
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PUBLIC Strategy and Place The planning system operates within legislation, guidance and advice which, at a national level, is set by The Scottish Government. Further details can be found at https://www.gov.scot/policies/planning- architecture/. In Scotland, the planning system is considered to be a plan led system – that means that development plans are prepared which set out the principles for where the development of land would be acceptable and where land should be protected. In Renfrewshire the development plan consists of the following: National Planning Framework 4 Local Development Plan (adopted December 2021) What can you expect from us: We will make the development plan and associated guidance available on our website. We will prepare an annual Development Plan Scheme which will set out the timetable and programme for the preparation of the new Local Development Plan. We will use a range of consultation methods to provide opportunities for everyone to engage, influence and get involved in the preparation of the new Local Development Plan. We will aim to acknowledge responses to development plan and guidance consultations within 5 working days of them being received. Where appropriate we will publish summaries of consultation responses received and the Council’s response to these. Sometimes this will be done within statutory documents associated with the local development plan process.