Town Planning can be a very sociable profession at times. Combine site visits, client meetings, committee meetings and appeal hearings together, and it can result in a large amount of people being brought together in the same place. As the Government has ruled that social distancing measures must be in place wherever possible, there is a chance that some elements of planning will not be able to continue for the time being.
There is a requirement under law that councillors are present to decide applications. This causes somewhat of a conflict for local authorities carrying out committee meetings to decide on planning applications whilst social distancing and lockdown rules are in place.
However, the Coronavirus Act 2020 contains provisions that allow meetings to be held remotely, stating that those speaking at, voting in, or participating in other ways in, local authority meetings can do so without any of those people being together in the same place. This can take place up until May 2021.
As a result, planning committee meetings can now be held virtually, ensuring key decisions on planning applications can still be made.
Similarly, Scotland's Directorate of Planning and Environmental Appeals has insisted that its casework will continue, stating that the use of interactive technology such as Skype will allow hearings and inquiries to go ahead, although there will perhaps be a focus for the time being on appeals by written representations.
Barristers in the Planning Court have also taken part in a remote substantive hearing, whilst the judiciary has issued guidance for the conduct of remote hearings in civil justice.
Thanks to the utilisation of technology and legislative intervention from the Government, there is hope the planning system can continue to function during this pandemic.
