Material Considerations

Definition

A material consideration is any matter that is relevant to making a planning decision. There is no statutory definition — what is material is a matter of law, but the weight given to a material consideration is a matter of planning judgement.

Common Material Considerations

Design and visual impact, residential amenity (overlooking, daylight, noise), highway safety and parking, heritage significance, ecology and biodiversity, flood risk, planning history, the NPPF, PPG, relevant appeal decisions, and the views of consultees and neighbours.

What Is NOT Material

Loss of property value, loss of a private view, competition between businesses, private disputes (boundary, covenant), the personal circumstances of the applicant (except in very limited situations), and construction disruption.

Weight

Material considerations must be given appropriate weight. Greater weight is given to adopted development plan policies than to emerging policies. Pre-application advice is a material consideration but carries limited weight. Appeal decisions are material but are not binding precedents — each case turns on its own facts.

The Planning Balance

Decision-makers weigh all material considerations in the "planning balance." If the development plan says yes but material considerations say no (or vice versa), the decision-maker must exercise judgement. This is where planning statements make their argument.

Related Topics: Development Plan, NPPF, Appeals