Planning & Licensing Applications
What is Falmouth Town Council’s Role in the Planning & Licensing Application Process?
Falmouth Town Council is a statutory consultee for all Falmouth Parish planning & licensing applications.
This means that Cornwall Council, who make the final decisions on all planning and licensing applications, are legally required to consult with Falmouth Town Council before a decision is made on applications within the Parish.
However, Falmouth Town Council does not make the final decision on planning and licensing applications – these are made by Cornwall Council.
Falmouth Town Council Planning and Licensing Committee
The Planning and Licensing Committee meets on a Monday night at 6pm every three weeks in the Atherton Suite in the Old Post Office Building on The Moor. They meet to discuss planning and licensing applications submitted within Falmouth Parish (including Budock Water).
The Planning & Licensing Committee reviews each planning and licensing application against the policies in the Falmouth Neighbourhood Plan and make a recommendation for approval or refusal based on submitted plans, public comments on proposals and reports made by other departments and outside bodies where appropriate eg. the Environment Agency and Historic England. Their recommendations are then submitted to the local planning authority, Cornwall Council (CC).
This recommendation is then included in the Case Officer’s report.
Where the Town Council’s view is contrary to the Case Officer’s recommendation, the application can be called in to the Cornwall Council Planning Committee for a decision, otherwise the Case Officer will make a decision under delegated powers.
Pre-application Advice
Falmouth Town Council places great importance on pre-planning consultations and is seeking to encourage developers and/or agents to consult with our Planning and Licensing Committee at the pre-application stage. For details of the Pre-Planning Consultation Protocol please click here (opens in new page).
If you are considering submitting a planning application and would like guidance on how to ensure your project adheres to the policies of the Falmouth Neighbourhood Plan, please contact us on 01326 315 559 for some pre-application advice.
Viewing Planning Applications
You can view electronic copies of each planning application via Cornwall Council’s Planning register on Cornwall Council’s website.
Falmouth Town Council no longer receive a paper copy of planning applications from Cornwall Council. If you require a paper document or need further assistance please contact the Cornwall Council Planning Team.
Supporting or Opposing a Planning Application
In Writing
Residents are encouraged to advise the Town Council of any concerns that they might have regarding planning proposals that they feel affect them. Letters in support or against an application should be sent to the planning department at Cornwall Council, however, we request that copies also be forwarded to Falmouth Town Council. You can also comment online on planning applications on Cornwall Council’s website. For more information please click on the link below.
In Person
As with all Planning & Licensing Committee meetings, members of the public have the opportunity to express their opinion in person to Falmouth Town Council’s Planning and Licensing Committee.