Have your say on planning applications

From 3 February 2025, new comments will no longer display a name and address. Comments made before this date will still include these details. You can find more information in our privacy policy.

Following receipt of an application, we undertake a period of publicity. Comments are sent to the Local Planning Authority (LPA). You do not have to live near a proposed site to have your say. Anyone can submit:

• objections and concerns
• support for the proposal
• general comments about the proposal

Publicising applications

It is a requirement for the LPA to:

• send written notification to properties adjoining the proposed site or
• post a site notice near to, or on the proposed site or
• publish a notice in a newspaper

If more proposals are made on the same site, we will contact previous commenters within a reasonable period.

What you can comment on

We are required to consider all material planning matters and relevant planning policies including:

• national policy
• local plan policies and approved supplementary planning document
• development plan documents

Comments received will be noted, but only planning issues can be considered. This includes:

• overshadowing or loss of light or privacy
• parking provision, additional traffic, or danger to highway safety
• noise, smells, or disturbances
• impact on or loss of wildlife, trees, and other important landscape features
• design, visual appearance, and proposed materials
• effect on listed buildings and the character of a conservation area
• layout and density of proposed buildings
• flooding

What you cannot comment on

We will not consider anything that includes:

• matters controlled by building regulations or other non-planning laws such as structural stability, fire precautions, and environmental health
• private rights and issues between neighbours such as land ownership disputes or rights of way, property damage, covenants, and private agreements
• loss of value to a property
• problems associated with building work such as working hours, noise, dust, or construction vehicles
• private interests of objectors and competition between rival companies
• personal issues or circumstances relating to an applicant or business
• loss of a view

Acceptable comments

Comments must include:

• the application number and site address
• your name and address
• a date

We will not publish or consider comments that:

• contain photos of people, video recordings, or personal details
• are racist, offensive, or inappropriate
• are marked confidential
• are anonymous

You may give your comments to your local councillor who can give them to us on your behalf.

Comment deadlines

Submission deadlines are published on the site notice and in written notifications. It will also be in the important dates section on the planning website.

Send us a comment

All comments must be in writing. You can create an account on our planning website to:

• find details of current and historic applications
• register your interest on any site, road or defined area
• receive updates on any changes or new applications in your chosen areas
• submit your comments

You can also send us your comments by email to planningcomments@midkent.gov.uk or by post:

What happens next

If your comment is submitted online or by email, you will get an automatically generated acknowledgement. If submitted by post, it will not be acknowledged.

We cannot respond personally to every comment. Comments will be summarised in the officer’s report and any significant and relevant matters will be addressed in the appraisal.

Taking account of your comments

Most outcomes are decided by planning officers and are known as delegated decisions. The Planning Committee of elected council members will make other decisions. The case officer for each application will make a report that:

• explains what the application includes
• summarises the comments received
• addresses material planning matters and policies

All arguments will be considered before deciding. Planning control will aim to protect the public interest rather than the interests of an individual.

If you have commented on an application that will be decided by the Planning Committee, we will tell you:

• the date and time of the meeting
• where it will take place
• details about your opportunity to speak

We cannot give more than five working days of notice.

Changes to applications before a decision is made

There is no statutory requirement for publicity and consultation if a change is made. The LPA will decide by checking if the:

• objections raised in the original consultation are substantial
• proposed changes are significant
• changes are more harmful than the original plans
• earlier comments already covered the proposed changes

We will decide who will be included and the response time. The need for publicity will be balanced against the need for efficient decision-making.

Application decisions

The target date for a decision can be found on the planning website under the important dates section. We aim to decide most applications within the target time, but the date may be changed if needed.

We cannot notify you when the decision is made or if an application is approved or refused. All decisions are supported by the case officer's report and a decision notice. Both documents will be on the planning website under the documents section.

Appeals and changes to approved plans

An applicant may ask for slight changes to an approved plan. We will publicise these changes if necessary. Change requests and the decision will be displayed on our planning website.

Appeals against planning decisions are submitted to the Planning Inspectorate (PI). We will tell you about an appeal if your property adjoins the original application site, or if you submitted comments. We will advise about the:

• appeal details
• process to be followed
• timetable for a decision

All comments received before the application decision was made will be sent to the PI.