Comment on a planning application

We encourage the local community to get involved and have their say in what goes on in their local community, and this includes local planning applications and developments.

If you want to have your say on a planning application currently under review with us, you can leave a formal comment in our online portal. 

Before sending any comments, we recommend you read our privacy statement which explains how we protect your personal data, as well as the terms and conditions for using the comment feature online.

1. search for and find the planning application in question
2. if the application is open for questions, you will see a 'Comments' tab at the top of the application. 
3. select the 'Make a Comment' option under the 'Comments' tab
4. if you signed into your account before searching, your details will automatically appear - if not, you will need to add your details in manually
5. all fields with a * need to be filled in
6. write your comment in the box
7. click submit or register. If you want to register, please note that your council account, if you have one, is not connected to Planning Search, which requires separate registration.
8. your comments will be uploaded and available to view immediately

When you make a comment, you can ask to receive an email to confirm that we’ve received your comment.

Deadlines and late comments

Please make sure you make your comments before the closing date for the application.

To find the date: 

1. search for the application
2. click on 'details'  
3. click on 'important dates'
4. the closing date will be labelled as the ‘Expiry date’.

If your comments are submitted after the deadline, we will try to take these into account when making our decision, as long as they are received at least two working days before the decision is made.

We will only consider comments that relate to planning issues such as:

• the effect on a neighbour’s daylight, sunlight, or privacy
• the impact on traffic, road access, parking and servicing
• the appearance, bulk, or height of the proposed development
• impact, such as noise, generated by the proposal
• the potential loss of a valued local service or use, such as a shop or a residential flat

We will not consider such issues as:

• the effect on property values
• competition between rival businesses
• party wall disputes and fire escape matters
• moral and religious issues

We do not consider comments that are racist, sexist, homophobic, defamatory or offensive. If you see find an offensive comment, you can report it to us using our online form.

Online comments will appear immediately. Comments sent by post can take up to two weeks to appear online.

We don’t respond to individual comments.

When applications are due to be discussed at our planning committee, we will update the online planning application to let you know. You can ask to speak at the meeting.