Coronavirus update - commenting on planning applications
View details of how normal services may be affected
Hard copy comments on applications (via email or letter) will take longer to process, and we urge everyone to use our online service to view and comment on planning applications.
For re-consultations where we have received additional information, the normal public consultation period is 14 days. However, the government has increased this to 21 days, so residents will have longer to view the new information and make comments.
All planning applications have a period of public consultation, normally lasting 21 days. During this time, you can register your support or opposition to the proposed development, read comments made by others, and add your own. We will carefully consider all comments when we decide whether to approve the development.
Search for planning applications
How to comment
You can find advice on how to find out about local planning applications and comment on them via the Planning Portal. It is important to remember that the number of supporters or objectors will not determine if the development can go ahead. We will look instead at whether the application is consistent with the Local Development Plan.
When making comments on an application, you should do the following:
- comment only on material planning considerations (those areas covered by planning policy), as we cannot consider other objections
- avoid using abusive, offensive or malicious language
Read more about material planning considerations
When we decide whether to approve a proposed development, we will take the following material considerations into account.
- Overlooking / loss of privacy
- Loss of light or overshadowing
- Parking
- Highway safety
- Traffic
- Noise
- Effect on a listed building and / or conservation area
- Layout and density of building
- Design, appearance and materials
- Government policy
- Disabled persons' access
- Proposals in the Development Plan
- Previous planning decisions (including appeal decisions)
- Nature conservation
However, issues such as loss of view, or negative effect on the value of existing properties are not material considerations.
Your privacy
We will publish any comments made about a planning application on our website until we make a decision about the application. Please note that your name will appear with your comment. However, we aim to remove personal contact details such as email addresses and phone numbers.
Under the provisions of the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, we can read or copy any comments we receive, for the purpose of making planning decisions. For further information, please see our Planning Privacy Notice.
If you would like to keep track of a planning application
To be updated when there are changes to a planning application that you have commented on, you can sign up for our free regular email notification service.