For a minor effect activity where the agreement of any potentially-affected party has been obtained, the application can be processed without the need for advertising and possible hearing.

For applications where this is not true, the details of the application are notified and the public have 20 working days to write in a submission to the application. A pre-hearing meeting is generally held to try and resolve and clarify issues that the submitters have brought up and if agreement is made a hearing is not required. A panel of three councillors sit on the hearings panel to decide on the application. The applicant introduces their proposals and mitigation measures, the council staff present their assessment of the application and then the submitters highlight their concern. From all of this information the panels consider whether the activity should be allowed and if the staff’s proposed conditions are satisfactory. Decisions on applications can be appealed if the application does not accept the decision.