Making a Representation on a Planning Application

COMMENTING ON A PLANNING APPLICATION

When a valid application is received, members of the public may submit a representation of support or objection to the proposed development.  A representation can be submitted for all planning applications that has not yet been decided.  Your comments will be considered by the case officer before a decision is made on the application.  You can comment on a planning application via:

Online:  Login - Planning Portal

Email:  planning@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk

Post:  Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Planning Department, Cloonavin, 66 Portstewart Road, Coleraine, BT52 1EY.

You should view the plans and forms before you comment on an application, to ensure you understand the development under consideration.

Please ensure you include the planning application reference number with your comments.  All Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Councils’ planning applications begin with LA01/………….

Transparency and privacy

The documentation for planning applications and any representations received in response to them must be made available for public viewing, in accordance with The Planning (Northern Ireland) Act 2011.  Provision is made within the Environmental Regulations 2004 for publishing such information.  This means that we cannot treat such documentation or representations as confidential.

All comments and written representations made on an application will be published on the NI Planning Portal and made available for public viewing.   This will include your name and address.  Your signature, personal telephone number and personal email address will be redacted before being published online but will not be redacted for public viewing on the application file.

The name and postal address of those making representations are crucial so that the Council may establish who and where representations come from so comments can be given full weight and for transparency.  If you do not want your name and address to be published, or held in the application file or do not provide both a name and postal address your comment will be treated as anonymous.  Anonymous representations will be given limited weight in the decision making process.  The Council will also be unable to communicate with you or make you aware of any amendments received or any decisions made with regards to the planning application.

Petitions

The names and addresses of those signing must be legible. The comments must be material in planning terms and clearly stated. 

Planning petitions should include a data protection statement which includes clarification that all those who have signed the petition are aware that their information will be placed in the public domain and that they should not include personal information about a third party. 

If no data protection statement is included, then in line with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), the Council is unable to further process this third party data and as such, the name and address of the signatories will not be recorded and will not be available on the NIPP or on the planning application file.

The issues raised in the petition will be taken into consideration as part of the processing of the planning application and the number of signatories will also be recorded.

What details should you include in your comments

The Council only take into account ‘material planning considerations’ when looking at your comments.  These include:

Loss of light or overshadowing

Overlooking/loss of privacy

Visual amenity (but not loss of private view)

Adequacy of parking/loading/turning

Highway safety

Traffic generation

Noise and disturbance resulting from use

Hazardous materials

Smells

Loss of trees

Effect on listed building and conservation area

Layout and density of building

Design, appearance and materials

Landscaping

Road access

We cannot take into account matters which are sometimes raised but are not normally planning considerations such as:

The perceived loss of property value

Private property disputes, eg covenants, disputes over boundaries or access

Issues covered by other legislation, eg permits; licensing and Building Regulations

The loss of a view

The impact of construction work or competition between firms

Ownership disputes over rights of way

Fence Lines etc

Personal morals or views about the applicant

Note – these lists are not exhaustive

What not to include

Please do not include any information that you would not wish to be made public.  Please make sure your comments are not offensive, inflammatory or libellous.  If they are, they won’t be considered by the Council and may be returned to you, or edited by us prior to publication.  Comments must not:

Contain any personal names, please use words such as applicant, neighbour etc

Contain any personal information such as you’re living on your own, you’re on holiday next week, you have a 10 year old child etc

Contain any information relating to medical data for yourself or others, this is unlawful for us to process

Contain any material which is defamatory of any person

Contain any information which is obscene, offensive, hateful or inflammatory

Promote discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexuality orientation or age

Infringe any copyright, database right or trade mark of any other person

Be likely to deceive any person

Be made in breach of any legal duty owed to a third party, such as a contractual duty or a duty of confidence

Details of any previous or current enforcement investigations

Privacy Notice

The Council is committed to meeting its data protection obligations and handling your information securely.  You should make sure you read and understand the Planning Department’s privacy notice:

https://www.causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk/live/planning/gdpr