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Make Comments
on Planning Applications
The application
form and any plans, drawings or documents submitted can be inspected in
the Planning Information Office. The Planning Information Officer will
help in reading the plans and if you have any questions that cannot be
answered by them, you can contact the planning case officer. It will usually
not be possible for planners to respond to written questions due to a
shortage of staff time.
The application
can also be inspected in the Lewisham Reference Library but library staff
are unable to assist in reading plans.
If you are
housebound, phone the planning officer to arrange for the application
to be brought to you.
You should
consider the proposed development and the site. How could it look? Could
there be traffic problems? Could it be noisy? What other concerns are
there?
What To Do If You Object
Your written objections should be sent to us as soon as possible quoting
the address of the property and the application number. Late arriving
objections will still be taken into account, providing the application
has not been determined.
You may also
send a copy of your objection letter to your Ward Councillor or local
residents group. Objections need to be planning considerations.
Sending Your Objection By Post Or Email
If replying by post please include the address of the site and the application
number that you are commenting on as well as your address so that you
can be kept up to date with progress.
If sending
you comment by email then use the form at the foot of this page. We must
have your name, postal address/post code and email address so that we
may keep you advised.
What Are Planning Considerations?
Substantial damage to the amenities of residents caused by noise, disturbance,
smell or loss of light.
The visual impact of a development - what it will be like to look at,
but not the loss of a view.
Highway safety including the need for parking.
The approve policies of the Council contained in the Unitary development
Plan.
Government advice as set out by the Department of the Environment in Planning
Policy Guidance Notes.
The approved policies of the Council.
The existing use of the site or any previous planning permission already
granted.
The design, materials, amenity space in the scheme.
What If You Do Not Oppose The Development In Principle?
If you do not oppose the proposed development then you do not need to
write to the Council, unless you wish to add your support.
On the other
hand you may not object to the proposed development in principle, but
disagree with some of the details. In this case you can write to ask for
that part of the application to be changed, or conditions added to the
planning permission.
e.g. To control the hours of operation.
To provide obscure glazed windows to overcome privacy problems.
To specify the precise use of a building.
To require details of boundary fences or walls.
To grant temporary permission to assess the impact and operation of the
development.
To grant personal permission to restrict development to named individual.
Invalid Objections
Objections to an application made on non-planning grounds. These cannot
legally be taken into account in reaching a planning decision.
The following examples are not planning considerations.
The loss
in the value of your home or property as a result of the development.
The unfair competitions e.g. there are already enough similar businesses
in the area.
Construction work that may cause disturbance.
Any restrictive covenants (this is a private matter for the landowner).
A boundary dispute.
A developer needs other consents (which are dealt with by other services).
The Council
will consider the merits of the application and weigh these against any
objections received. Planning permission will not be refused simply because
objections have been made. The planning officer may ask the applicant
to revise the plans to overcome unsatisfactory details. In the event of
revisions or amendments being submitted, you may be notified again if
the changes are significant.
Who Decides Applications
Small-scale developments that comply with Council policy where up to two
or no letters of objection have been received, are decided by senior planning
officers under delegated powers. An application that has three or more
written objections made will be reported to Committee. In practice the
great majority of applications are dealt with under delegated powers.
To Comment Online
Enter your details and comments in the boxes and email them to us.
They will be forwarded to the officer dealing with the application. Your
comment will form part of the case history of the application and as such
will be made available for public inspection.
You must
complete all the sections marked *
If you wish to comment on more than one application please make individual
submissions.
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