Who can comment on planning applications?
Anyone has the right to comment on an application and have their comments taken into consideration in the determination of the application, however comments must:
- be received before a formal decision is made
- relate to material planning issues.
Any correspondence cannot be treated in confidence (unless it relates specifically to enforcement matters)
Applications for Planning Permission, Planning Permission in Principle, and Approvals of Matters Specified in Conditions also require the neighbouring properties to be notified about the application, and in some cases they must also be advertised in the local press and/or with a site notice.
In general, the publicity and consultation period last for 21 days. We cannot guarantee that any comments received after this period will be given consideration. During this period, we may also seek the views of specialist internal and external consultees such as the Roads Department, Environmental Health, Historic Scotland, the Conservation Officers and SEPA.
If you do become aware of an application, and you wish to support it, object to it or simply just make a general comment, you can do this in several ways:
- Online - find the application you wish to comment on, and if it is still open for consultation you will see the "Make a public comment" button - when you click on this, you can tell us your comments
- In writing - send your comments on the application to the
You will receive a confirmation that your comments have been received and notified of the decision once it has been made, or the date of the committee/ hearing if appropriate.