About LRA - Planning and Licensing

When planning and licensing applications are made to the District Council, those applications affecting Loughton are reviewed by the LRA Plans Group (LRAPG). LRAPG is a group of your LRA volunteers.

LRAPG acts separately from LRA Cllrs in relation to planning and licensing proposals because LRA Cllrs have to take planning and licensing decisions solely on the basis of the evidence presented at planning committee meetings. However, when a contentious proposal becomes a formal application to the District Council, LRAPG may ask residents for their views.

Cllrs on the District and Town planning and licensing committees work hard to study each application and the relevant legislation, and on contentious cases will take careful note of residents’ views (but are not allowed to give an opinion on the application before the relevant meeting); at the meeting they will question applicants and Council Officers in depth.

The District Council takes the decisions on planning applications (except that the County Council determines any planning applications it makes to itself). Applications are decided upon by Council Officers or by Cllrs in District Council Planning Committee meetings, and residents’ comments on the proposals will be taken into account but not necessarily agreed with. This is a quasi-legal process, and decisions have to be taken on planning grounds only, based on the national planning legislation and the District Local Plan, whatever the views and feelings of the individual Cllrs involved.

If you wish to comment, the process is time critical with several stages along the way. Try to submit your comments to the District Council before the formal deadline set by the Council. Although submissions can be made and have to be considered by the Council up to the time a decision is made, once the formal deadline has passed, the application might be determined before your comments are received.

Please copy your comments by email to the Town Council (as they comment on all applications in Loughton, but often have very little time to do so) and LRAPG.

If a plan on the District Council website is sideways on, use the Rotate Right

icon at the top of the page to bring it right way up.

The process for alcohol licensing applications is similar to the process for planning applications, except that objections must relate to one or more of the four Licensing Objectives (page 3, section 1.7) and any comments received after the end of the formal consultation period won’t be taken into account by the District Council.

Planning applications The District Council website has helpful information on the planning process, including how to apply for planning permission. You can see the full details of current Planning applications at the District Council website where you can: • search by address • search using the Application Number if you know it.		Licensing applications The District Council website has helpful information on the licence application process. You can see the full details of Licensing applications at the District Council website where you can view a list of current applications.
Commenting on a Planning application You can comment to the District Council by: • email. Please copy your comments by email to LRAPG and to the Town Council so they can take them into account when they comment to the District Council. • post to: Development Control Epping Forest District Council, Civic Offices, High Street, Epping, Essex CM16 4BZ • via a petition. When making comments, ensure you provide: • the date. • your name and address. • the planning application number. • site address. • whether you are objecting, supporting or just commenting on an application. More details are on the District Council website.		Commenting on a Licensing application You can comment to the District Council by: • email (and please copy your comments by email to us). • post to: Licensing Unit Epping Forest District Council Civic Offices, High Street Epping Essex CM16 4BZ Please also email your views to Loughton Town Council at contact@loughton-tc.gov.uk so they can take them into account when they comment to the District Council. When making comments, ensure any objections are clearly linked to one or more of the UK licensing objectives, which are: • the prevention of crime and disorder. • public safety. • the prevention of public nuisance. • the protection of children from harm.