When a planning application is considered, it is subject to an established process of public and internal consultation. The consultation period for a planning application lasts for 21 calendar days after the application has been publicised. Our Spatial Planning team are committed to publicising planning applications and thus assisting the democratic process. Information about how we publicise an application to make it available for public consultation is available on our Publicity and Neighbour Notification page.

The individuals and bodies who submit comments about planning applications fall into three categories: members of the public, statutory consultees and non-statutory consultees.

Comments received by the public

Our planning applications are made available for public inspection as soon as the application is deemed valid.

To find out about how to submit a comment on a planning application please view our Commenting page for guidance and links. Please note that only material planning considerations can be considered for the purpose of determining a planning application and all comments formally submitted to us will be made available for public inspection.

Finding out about an application

The consultation period for a planning application begins on the date that the application is publicised (and becomes available for public view by appearing on Planning Online) and finishes 21 calendar days after this. 

To find out when the time period for submitting a letter about an application finishes please view the application on Planning Online. The expiry date for letters will be shown in the 'Details' tab under 'Important Dates' as the 'Latest Site Notice Expiry Date'.

To be notified about applications in your area you might like to register with Planning Online and save a search for applications in your ward/postcode/street. You will then be notified of any applications once they become publicised. You can then choose to track the application and you will be emailed when the decision is made.

Statutory and non statutory consultees

Statutory consultees are organisations and bodies that, by law, must be consulted on relevant planning applications, examples include: The Highways Agency, Historic England, The Environment Agency and Natural England. Others, when appropriate, will include such bodies as the local Environmental Health Department and the local Highways Department.

Non statutory consultees are those organisations and bodies who (though not defined by statute) we may choose to seek consultation from on relevant planning applications. In some cases they will be those organisations whom for certain applications are statutory consultees (such as the local Highways department) and other organisations we may choose to consult include Railtrack, Sport England and the R.S.P.B.

What happens next?

Where necessary, site review meetings may be held.