Walmer Town Council’s Planning Committee meets each month throughout the year to consider the planning applications sent from Dover District Council. The committee will also view those in surrounding towns and villages which may have an impact on Walmer in areas such as traffic congestion. Applications can range from work on trees that are under a Tree Preservation Order to building works of all sizes and descriptions, from outline planning permission to an estate of new builds or small modifications to a listed property. The Committee also considers matters relating to the planning process at National, County and District level affecting the Town.

All applications have a notice placed near the property by Dover District Council, informing residents and interested parties of the proposed work. Walmer Town Council posts a link to all applications that will be considered at each planning meeting on their website and interested parties for or against any application are welcome to attend and give their views in person or post a comment on DDC’s planning website.

At each Walmer Planning Committee meeting the public is welcomed and invited to speak. During the current restrictions, applicants are reminded that good clear plans and clear photographs are a vital tool in assessing applications of all. Members of the planning committee aim to visit sites as appropriate to familiarise themselves with the location and the adjacent properties that could be affected by the works proposed.

The Administration Clerk will communicate, in writing, to the Local Planning Authority the Committee’s decision in respect of applications considered and this is then placed on the District Council planning portal for consideration by the District Council Officers and Planning Committee who will make the final decision.

Although the final decision rests with the Planning Authority, Walmer Town Council is a Statutory Consultee, and the responses must be taken into account by the Planning Authority when considering an application.

Please find below link to the Dover District Council Local Plan.

Dover District Council Local Plan

Walmer Town Council produced a Walmer Design Statement in 2001 to read the Walmer Design Statement please click on below

Walmer Design Statement 

If you have an interest in any planning applications which will be on the agenda which you can access on the Council’s website under Meetings/Agendas and would like to make your views known, then in the first instance please send an email marked for the attention of the Town Clerk to clerk@walmercouncil.co.uk. 

If you have an interest in any planning applications which will be on the agenda which you can access on the Council’s website under Meetings/Agendas and would like to make your views known to the Town Councils’ Committee, then in the first instance please send an email marked for the attention of the Town Clerk to clerk@walmercouncil.co.uk. All comments made should also be made to Dover District Council also to ensure that these are taken into account when making the final decision.

The decision on all planning applications is made by the District or County Council not by the Town Council.

• In determining the Town Council’s response, the Town Council will notify when possible, parishioners adjacent to the applicant/s address including the applicant via a yellow notification as close to the property making the application.
• Each Planning Application will be an agenda item on the Town Council Meeting Agenda – nearest date to when the application is notified to the council.
• Any member of the public may attend the online Planning Meeting to speak about any planning agenda item.
• In commenting on planning applications and determining a resolution, the Town Councillors will take into account the views and comments made by parishioners together with any Material Considerations.

A material consideration (see above list) is a matter that should be taken into account by legislation, in deciding a planning application or an appeal against a planning decision. As the District Council may only make decisions based on Material Considerations, Walmer Town Councils responses will also be based on Material Considerations to best influence the outcomes.

A Short Guide To Planning Committee Recommendations and Conditions

National Planning Policy Framework