Our customer charter

Ealing development services - planning customer charter

The following information explains what you can expect from our planning service, the service we provide and how you can contact our planning service.

The planning service objective is to facilitate and manage development to improve and protect the physical environment, and achieve sustainable communities.

This charter outlines the service standards you can expect from us, along with how you can help us to achieve these.

General service commitments you can expect to receive:

all customers will be treated fairly, courteously and without discrimination
telephones will be answered within five rings
voicemail messages will be responded to within 24 hours
telephone enquires not capable of immediate resolution will receive return calls within one day
letters seeking advice will receive full or progress replies within 10 working days
office hours are from 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday

What can agents and applicants expect?
Pre-application meetings are encouraged and a duty officer service is available during office hours.

For larger developments agents are asked to book an appointment.

We aim to:

deal with 80% of decisions by way of officers delegated authority to ensure speed in decision making.
give a decision on 80% of householder applications within eight weeks of receipt of a valid application
acknowledge 80% of all valid applications within five working days of receipt
allocate 65% of valid applications to a planning officer within 10 working days
to notify primary contacts of applications being invalid or incomplete on 70% of applications within six working days

All acknowledgement letters will include a contact name and phone number for the primary contact to use to check on progress.

On request, applicants will be informed of the progress of their application and the likely date of the decision.

Where an initial application is unacceptable but minor revisions could overcome the deficiencies, the applicant will be advised and given the opportunity to make suggested revisions in line with specified targets.

Delegated decision notices will be sent out on the day the decision is made, as committee meetings are held in the evening decision notices will be sent out the following day. (Please note: a longer period applies if a decision is subject to a referral to the Mayor of London, a government direction or a Section 106 Agreement).

The applicants right of appeal will be outlined on each decision notice.

What can adjoining occupiers and interest groups expect?
Neighbours adjoining an application site and other nearby occupiers who may be directly affected by a proposal, will be notified of the application by letter.

All persons consulted will have 21 days to make comments on planning applications when first received. Revisions to applications may be subject to a different time period.

We will acknowledge the receipt of comments made on applications.

All those who comment on an application will be informed of the decision when made.

A statutory register of current applications and of decisions made is available for inspection at our reception during office hours and on this website.

Professional planning advice is available during office hours at our planning reception to interpret and advise residents on applications and plans.

What can I expect from the committee procedure?
The planning committee generally meets at three-weekly intervals and all committee meetings are open to the public.

Applicants or their agents will be notified of the date of the relevant committee meeting.

Objectors and other respondents will also be notified of the date of the relevant committee meeting and will be given the opportunity to speak, only one speaker per application will be allowed in line with the council's procedure.

In some cases the committee members will make a site visit, which will occur on the Saturday before the committee meeting. The agent will be informed of the date and the time of the visit and will be invited to attend.

What can I expect from enforcement?
Please refer to our planning enforcement page.

What can I expect from trees?
Applications for consent to carry out works to trees included in Tree Preservation Orders will be processed and completed within eight weeks.

All customers serving the council with a notice of intent of works to be carried out to any trees in conservation areas will be processed and responded to within six weeks.

How can I help?
By submitting planning and other applications in line with the guidance notes provided with the application form.

Ensure that plans submitted clearly show the proposal and include accurate location plans.

How can I make a complaint?
The council has a formal complaints system to deal with any dissatisfaction you may have with any part of our service.

Our aim is never to give cause for you to complain, but if you do, we will deal with your complaint speedily and courteously. Details of our complaints procedure are provided at our reception and on this website.

Are you satisfied?
We recognise that in this area of service you cannot take your custom elsewhere and we want you to be satisfied with the services we provide. We therefore actively seek and welcome your views and suggestions about the sort of service you want.

If you have any suggestions as to how our services could be improved or ideas for further leaflets which you would find useful, please contact us with your comments and ideas.