Regionally Significant Planning Applications

Local planning authorities in the region have to consult the Regional Assembly on planning applications that have a regional significance.

This is a legal duty, set out in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. The consultation process was introduced to ensure that decisions on large-scale planning applications reflect the policies and principles in South East England's regional planning framework.

Once the Assembly receives full details of a planning application, it has 21 days to respond. When Assembly comments have been sent to the relevant local planning authority, they are published in our list of responses.

Until the South East Plan is approved by Government, the Regional Assembly will consider how new large-scale planning applications match the framework set out in current guidance, which is RPG9 and approved amendments such as the Regional Transport Strategy.

The Regional Assembly needs to be consulted on the following types of applications:

• Developments whose scale, nature or location mean they have major importance to the region's planning framework
• Developments that meet criteria set by the Regional Assembly's Regional Planning Committee. These include developments above certain floor space thresholds, key regional transport schemes and applications relating to minerals, waste, water, renewable energy and nature conservation. A schedule of relevant applications (revised November 2006) sets out the full criteria.

The Regional Assembly has issued an advice note to local planning authorities explaining the consultation process.