The post you are reporting:
Labour will always tell porky-pies, or put a particlar slant on something when it comes to trying to score political points.
In the normal process of a plannining application, the applicant will talk to the planning officers for advice - for a fee, it's called pre-application advice) and the officers will advise the applicant(s) what they should do, so that it fits all the planning rules, guidelines and criteria and be recommended by the officers for aspproval and supported by the planning committee, who will make the decision.
Too many applications, especially contentious ones, are voted on where emotion plays the biggets part, instead of using those planning rules and guidelines, although I would guess that's why we have planning committees, because if they just used that (planning criteria), there's be no need for a planning committee.
Let's hope that common-sense prevails Tracey.
Roger