CONCERNS raised by borough councillors have resulted in changes to planning officers’ delegated powers.

Welcoming revisions to the scheme of delegation, eight months after it was adopted, at Waverley executive meeting, Farnham councillor Chris Storey said: “There have been lots of comments the scheme of delegation has gone too far and too much is going through without scrutiny.

“The new schedule is a good balance on what can be delegated and what should go to planning committee.”

Executive agreed to recommend to full council the revised scheme was agreed, which will see planning schemes that trigger five or more responses only being determined by officers using their delegated powers after the relevant ward members have agreed the applications need not go to committee.

Under the revised scheme, the joint planning committee (JPC) will have the power to review all schemes for 25 or more houses where officers have recommended the applications should be granted.

The JPC will also consider applications defined as “major”, for 10 or more houses and commercial floorspace on one hectare, judged to have a significant impact, be of strategic importance or trigger new planning issues.

The chairman and vice-chairman of the area planning committees can also request applications are referred to JPC.