Commenting on planning applications

How do I make a comment?

• Online via Planning Online.Your email address will automatically be removed from the information that is published on the website
• By email to development.management@bristol.gov.uk
• By writing to us at City Development, Brunel House, St George’s Road, Bristol, BS1 5UY

Comments must include

• Date
• Your name and address
• Application number
• Site address

Publishing your personal details

Any written comment you make about an application, by law, must be placed on the public file. This means that:

• your comment, and your name and address will form part of the planning application documents
• anonymous and 'in confidence' comments will not be considered
• your comment will be published on our website including your name and address
• we will remove any signature, email address and telephone number before publishing

Therefore it may be possible for your name and address to be browsed through internet browsers and search functions such as Google, Yahoo and Ask Jeeves.

Exception

We will consider any special circumstance of making personal details sensitive, for example keeping confidential the address of a person who is the subject of harassment. If you feel your comment should be kept confidential please write a letter, marked "confidential" to the Development Management Service Manager.

You can also contact, and submit your comment to your local councillor.

Please note

• If you send a comment by email or online, you do not need to send us a hard copy by post. Electronic comments carry just as much weight as written comments, and are processed in the same way.
• Comments which contain racist, defamatory or derogatory material will not be taken into consideration or published.

What can I comment on?

 All comments we receive about a planning application will be considered, but only planning issues can be taken into account. These include:

• Loss of light or privacy
• Overshadowing on your home
• Highway safety
• Traffic and parking issues
• Noise
• Amenity
• Wildlife
• Historic buildings
• Conservation
• Design
• Appearance of the development

Issues which cannot be taken into account include:

• Loss of view
• Effect on property values
• Private rights
• Boundary disputes
• Construction noise

How long do I have to comment?

Normally 21 days is allowed from the date of publicity for comments to be made. However, all written comments received up until the decision is made will be considered.

What happens when I comment on an application?

We will acknowledge all emails and all letters with an email address by a return email. We will not send paper/letter acknowledgements.

Contact us if you want to check if your letter has been received. Please allow five days after your letter was sent for it to be entered on our system.

We will not normally contact you again until after a decision is made unless the application:

• is to be decided by a development control committee, or
• is significantly altered or withdrawn.

As we get many comments about planning applications we cannot enter into individual correspondence or discussion.

Customer satisfaction survey

The customer satisfaction survey for individual applications has now been discontinued. A new version will be relaunched on an annual or bi-annual basis later this year.

In the meantime if you have any comments regarding the service received please email development.management@bristol.gov.uk.

More information

Please see the leaflet Your chance to have your say in the related documents section. If you have any questions or would like more information please contact us.