You can make a statement or a petition when planning applications are decided at Development Control Committee meetings.

Most planning applications are decided by senior planning officers. Some applications may be decided by councillors on one of our two Development Control Committees. Senior planning officers decide which applications the committees consider.

In some cases, elected members of the council can ask that an application is decided by a Development Control Committee.

There are two Development Control Committees, A and B.

The only difference between the two committees is the membership, with different people sitting on each committee.

Planning applications are assigned to a committee based on when the application is due to be heard. They’re then sent to the committee is that is being held closest to the applications date.

You can look at the agendas for committee meetings to see when and where the committees will meet and what applications they’ll be deciding:

The agendas have links to the applications so you can find out more and look at application documents.

If you’ve made a comment on a planning application and it will be decided by a committee, we’ll let you know seven days before the meeting.

Get involved in a Development Control Committee meeting

You can go to planning meetings to listen to the debate. If you have accessibility needs, let us know before the meeting.

You can look at a committee report on a planning application by going to Planning Online five working days before the committee meeting. The report will include:

  • the relevant planning issues
  • a recommendation to grant or refuse planning permission

If you’d like to make a statement or a petition at the meeting, or if you have a question about having your say at a meeting, contact us at democratic.services@bristol.gov.uk or at 0117 922 3758. You’ll need to send us your statement or petition before 12 noon the day before the meeting.

Find out the committee’s decision

After the meeting you can:

  • contact us on 0117 922 3000
  • look at the application details on Planning Online, which will be updated with the decision two days after the committee meeting