You should be aware that the law states that any comments made (together with personal details) about a planning application must be publicly available. This includes comments made via the website. For further details you can download the information on legal, copyright and data protection.
Some useful tips when commenting on an application:
• When signing your letter, print your name in capitals below the signature. Before your letter is published on the website the signature will be blanked out
• If you are submitting personal (medical or financial) information in support of your comments, please indicate clearly at the top of each document whether you are prepared for this information to be made publicly available
• If you are emailing your comments consider making your comment as a separate attachment to the email so that this can be published on the website without your email address
Benefits of submitting comments using the Planning Public Access facility
By submitting your comments using the online public access service you will be sent an instant email acknowledgement of your details having been received by the Council. Using the facility will also ensure that your personal data (email, address and contact details) will automatically be removed from the information that is published on the website.
Timescales
Ideally any comments should be made within 21 days of the date that the planning application was registered by the Council. It is in your best interests to submit your views as soon as possible so they can be taken into consideration as part of the normal determination process. However comments can be made right up until the point that the decision is made by the Council. Please contact the case officer handling the application for further advice when considering whether to submit comments later than the usual 21 day period.
Under normal circumstances comments made in association with new planning applications will be available to view online within five working days of receipt of the comment. If you are aware of any comments made that should appear against a current application that are not displaying outside of this timescale, please contact the Customer Contact Centre on the number to the right hand side of this page, or email details to the planningapp email post box.
Following the determination or withdraw of a planning application, and in accordance with data protection legislation, all neighbour comments made in relation to the application will be removed from the public access system.
What can I comment on?
You can comment on material planning considerations, for example:
Local, strategic, regional and national planning policies
• Proposals in the development plan
• Government circulars, orders and statutory instruments
• Previous appeal decisions
• Effects on listed buildings and conservation areas
• Layout and density of buildings
• Design, visual appearance, landscaping and materials
• Loss of daylight or sunlight
• Overbearing or loss of outlook (but not loss of view)
• Overlooking or loss of privacy
• Highway issues - traffic generation and vehicular access
• Highway safety - parking, loading, turning
• Noise and disturbance resulting from use
• Smells
• Loss of trees
• Nature conservation
• Archaeology
• Light pollution
• Hazardous materials
• Ground contamination
• Risk of flooding
• Disabled people's access
Matters which are not normally considered
• Matters controlled under building regulations or other non-planning laws such as structural stability, drainage and fire precautions
• Private issues between neighbours like land or boundary disputes, damage to property, private rights of way and covenants
• Loss of value of property
• Problems arising from the construction period of any works - for example noise, dust, construction vehicles, hours of work
In person
If you prefer, you can view or comment on planning applications at one of our one-stop shops receptions, where a customer care officer will be happy to help. As the one-stop shop receptions do not hold paper copies, application details will be viewed via the Council’s website.
Planning committees
Some applications may be referred to the Development Control Committee for consideration. If you wish to attend and perhaps speak for or against an application at the Committee you can find relevant details by following the link to ‘Browse meetings by date’ in the ‘Do it now’ panel. Here you will find details and dates of forthcoming meetings together with agenda papers and minutes of previous meetings. Advice on speaking at a Committee is also available in the leaflet ‘Speaking at Development Control Committee’ leaflet. The leaflet can be found in the “read more” section of this page.
Offensive, racist and anonymous comments
Please note that offensive, racist, discriminatory and other statements that are not relevant will not be published. Offensive statements lower a person's reputation personally or within their trade, profession or business. Racist statements are those that discriminate against individuals on racial grounds including their race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins. Gypsies and other minorities are racial groups. Statements that discriminate on grounds of religion, sexuality or disability will also not be published. Comments that include such statements will be rejected but can be resubmitted in a more acceptable form. Anonymous comments will not be published.