Planning privacy notice

Neighbour comments in support of, or object to, or to take account of in respect of a planning application

If you make a comment on a planning application, we will collect:

• your name
• your address
• your email address
• your phone number
• details of your comment, which may include personal information e.g. heath issues that would be exacerbated by proposed development.

If you have registered on Public Access to make a representation on a planning application, your personal details will be recorded on the council’s planning database, Uniform, and a copy of your comments will be stored in the council’s document management system, NEC. A copy of the comments can be viewed via the public access system. If you have submitted your comments via e-mail or in writing, your personal details will be manually entered into Uniform and a copy of your response including personal details will be stored on NEC. Your response will subsequently be made available on the public access system, accessible via the council’s website.

Comments published on the public access are available via our website at https://www.gravesham.gov.uk/planning/view-comment-planning-application.

Comments may include material considerations, which we consider when determining planning applications. All comments provided are held on our planning system and document management system along with your contact information.

In order to be transparent as a public authority we normally publish the full text of the comments you have provided, and this full text is published on our website via Public Access.

We will redact your name, email address, phone number and property name or number; however, you should be careful not to provide any personal data or special categories of data in your comments which is capable of identifying you to anyone else. If you do so, you must be aware that these will be seen by the public at large, unless this is a category of data that the council routinely redacts.

We will usually provide a summary of your comments, where they contain a material planning consideration, in our delegated and committee reports as part of the decision making process for an application. These reports are published on our website via Public Access and accessible to the wider public.

Members of the public and planning agents are able to request copies of representations, including requests under Freedom of Information / Environmental Information Requests. We will redact all personally identifiable information and special category data before any documents are released.

If the Council's decision on the application is appealed, the Government's Planning Inspectorate, who considers the appeal, will ask for copies of all application correspondence and copies of your comment or objection will be provided to the Planning Inspectorate. Please read the Planning Inspectorate privacy notice for more information.

If it is decided that the application is to be considered by Planning Committee, copies of your comment or objection will be shared with Members of planning committee (on request).