The Consultation Process
Neighbours, internal and external consultees along with Parish Councils are included in the planning consultation process. The consultation carried out on a Planning Application is dependent on the location, nature of the development and effect on neighbouring properties and local guidance is followed for this process. Consultees are given a time period to respond to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) and comments are noted by officers and taken into consideration along with Planning Policy, before a decision is given.
When determining a Planning Application, the Officer must consider whether there are any good planning reasons for refusing planning permission or for granting planning permission subject to conditions. The Council cannot reject a proposal simply because many people oppose it. Property values and land ownership disputes, for example, are not planning considerations.
The Planning Department will look at whether a proposal is consistent with the development plan for the area. Other material considerations would include potential traffic problems, noise, smell, overlooking, overbearing and the impact the proposal may have on the character and appearance of the surrounding area. By contrast, moral issues, or the effect the development might have on nearby property prices, would not be matters relevant to planning. Only very rarely would planners be able to take account of personal circumstances.
Planning - Data Protection
Please note that any representations received in response to planning applications (either objections or supporting statements) must be made available for public inspection and therefore your comments may be viewable on our website and planning register as part of the available documentation associated with the planning application. This means we cannot treat such representations as confidential.
You are not required to sign any letter you send. If you do not wish to have your signature displayed your printed name and address is sufficient. If you reply by email, your comments (with name and address) can be sent as an attachment to avoid display of your email address.
If you do not provide, or do not wish your name and address to appear on the website or within the case file, then your comments will be considered anonymous and your views will not be taken into account.
We also reserve the right to withhold from publication any comments or parts of comments not considered suitable for public view for reasons including offensive or personal content. This list is not exhaustive.
The Council will only assess the planning issues relevant to the proposal. The following lists give some idea of what matters can or cannot be taken into account.
Planning issues include:
- Compliance with approved planning policies
- Character of the area
- Loss of light
- Loss of privacy
- Noise and disturbance from the proposal
- Traffic generation and access
- Impact on the rural landscape
Planning Issues DO NOT include:
- The impact on property values
- Boundary or other legal disputes
- Loss of view
- Restrictive Covenants
- Competition between traders
- Possible damage to property caused by building work
- Access for maintenance