Search and comment on a planning application

You can search for, and comment on, a planning application via our online Simple Search function:

Planning application search, track and comment

When you comment on a planning application, please remember that:

• Your comments will appear online in due course
• Your address will be made public. However - in line with data protection laws - your phone number and email address won't be
• Do not include personal details in your comments
• Make sure that your comments are relevant and not defamatory or offensive. You remain personally and legally responsible for them
• We reserve the right to remove, from this website, comments which contain defamatory or offensive comments
• Comments have a limit of 10,000 characters (approx. 1600 words, or three and a half sides of A4)

We cannot provide planning histories for any site prior to 1974.

Please read the user guide for our Simple Search function for more information.

Our interactive mapping service

Our interactive mapping service allows you to view conservation areas, listed buildings, areas liable to flood, tree preservation orders, CIL charging areas, and Council owned land within the district.

What are material planning considerations?

Material planning considerations are matters that are relevant when a planning decision is being made. They include, but are not limited to:

• Local, strategic and national planning policies
• Previous appeal decisions and principles of case law
• Loss of sunlight, daylight, outlook or privacy
• Design, layout and impact upon the character of the surrounding area
• Highway issues (traffic generation, highway safety, vehicular access and parking issues)
• Noise or disturbance, smells and fumes
• Capacity of physical infrastructure (public drainage, water systems)
• Strain on social infrastructure (employment, healthcare, school spaces, community facilities)
• Impact upon protected species or trees
• Layout, design and density of buildings, their landscaping or means of enclosure

What does not count as a material planning consideration?

Generally, personal circumstances do not count as a material planning consideration. Non-material planning considerations include, but are not limited to:

• Loss of a personal view
• Effect upon property values
• Matters that are dealt with under other legislation (for example, building control legislation)
• Personal circumstances (unless exceptionally and clearly relevant (for example, provision of facilities for someone with a disability))
• Private disputes, between neighbours, about land or boundaries, maintenance, covenants, damage to property, private rights of access
• Previous breaches of planning control
• Opposition to business competition
• Factual misrepresentation of the proposed works

What we do with planning comments

We log all comments that come from one address, under that address. However, the Planning Officer assigned to the case will take into account all comments made.

If there is a need to reconsult - due to amended information, or plans being received during the application process - we would notify the owner or occupier of the property address (not each individual who lives at the property, and who has commented).

Due to the limitations of our online Simple Search function, we currently accurately record the live number of comments we receive. However, please be assured that all comments are publicly available.

Comments made via Simple Search are visible under the 'Comments' tab and any comments received via email or post will be visible under the 'Documents' tab.

We cannot provide you with a personal response to any comments made. This is due to the volume of comments that we receive.

What we do with your information

If you would like to know how we use any personal information you provide us, please read our Development Management Privacy Notice.