Wivenhoe Town Council's Planning Committee meets every three weeks to consider any plans submitted to Colchester Borough Council involving properties in Wivenhoe. The comments of the Planning Committee are then sent to the Borough Council for noting by both the Planning Officer as well as the Borough Planning Committee.  The public are welcome to attend the Wivenhoe Planning Committee meetings. 

In the year to March 2002, the Planning Committee considered 101 planning applications. These included the plans for phases 3 and 4 for Old Wivenhoe Quay and the development of Cook's Shipyard. A similar number of planning applications are considered each year although, fortunately, none as big as the ones for Old Wivenhoe Quay and Cook's Shipyard. 

Apart from individual planning applications, the Committee is responsible for consideration of and comment upon strategic plans affecting Wivenhoe such as the Colne Estuary Study, the Essex Structure Plan, the Essex County Minerals Subject Plan and the ten year Borough Local Plan.