Member

The agent of change principle will not stop some developers failing to include reference to this issue and their applications failing to refer to existing venues. However, as the noble Earl, Lord Clancarty, pointed out, in Scotland, where it has already become a statutory requirement, it has changed the situation considerably. It means that existing premises or an organisation representing them, such as the Music Venue Trust, can put in a very simple objection. All it has to have is two things: it must point to the existing legislation and the absence of reference to it in the application by the original developers. That makes it much easier and quicker to deal with such objections. When the planning committee receives the objection, because the agent of change is statutory, it can go straight back to the developers and point out its error. This would speed up the process for both concerned residents and the music venues.