Guidance for making comments on planning applications

The Council welcomes your comments and will give them careful consideration, but your comments must be:

• In writing - all letters are placed on file and can be seen by any member of the public when the file becomes a public document.
• By E-mail - using the online form.
• Prompt - if you do not write within 21 days you may be too late; the decision may have been made.
• Relevant - to planning.

For those applications which are determined by the Planning (Development Control) Committee, all letters of objection are reported to the Committee. For those applications which are determined under the Council's Scheme of Delegation all objection letters are copied to the appropriate Ward Members before a decision is made.

Relevance

The Council has to decide the planning application in accordance with the Development Plan and any other relevant factors, such as road safety, noise or smells from the development, the loss of trees or open space, damage to wildlife, the appearance of the new buildings, loss of light or privacy and the benefits of the proposal in providing homes of jobs. For further advice see the Development Control Charter  (9K) and Development Control Practice Notes.

Planning (Development Control) Committee Meetings

Public Speaking at the Planning (Development Control) Committee was introduced in September 2003. For more information see Development Control Practice Note 13  (53K) and leaflet 6 - Public Speaking at Planning (Development Control) Committee  (1070K).

Lobbying

Your Councillors will be happy to listen to your point of view. However, in order not to prejudice their objectivity they will need a full picture of the facts, and to listen to opposing arguments and consider the planning officers comments and recommendations before they can make a decision. Find your local Councillor.

Site Visits

A planning officer will visit the site and may need to make arrangements to view it from private property. The Committee will also sometimes need to visit a site. On these occasions, Councillors cannot become involved in discussions. They are there only to look, and debate must be left until the meeting.

For more information see the Development Control Practice Notes.