London Borough of Lewisham

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.

If you are housebound and do not have access to the internet, 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.

Your Details

*Title/Initials


*Surname:


Position:


Organisation/Company Name:


Address 1:


Address 2:


Address 3:


Address 4:


*Post Code:


Daytime Tel Number:


Email address:


The Application
*Property Name/Number:


*Street/Road Name:


*Application Number:

Click to object
Click to support
Click if impartial

Type or paste your comment on the application here:

How did you first get to hear this application had been made?
Letter from the Planning service
A site notice
Word of mouth
Weekly list of applications on the Web

Other source - please give details

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