How we process information relating to enforcement and appeals
We receive allegations of unlawful development that we investigate and decide whether or not to act.
Allegations are a useful way for us to learn about potential breaches of planning control and we treat the personal details of the people who make the allegation in confidence. These personal details are not made public.
We are required by statute to make public any enforcement notices we serve.
Enforcement cases remain confidential and at no time will we divulge the details of complainants who have informed us of alleged planning breaches.
The council receives planning, advert, householder and enforcement appeals. The appellant and their agents submit documents for these appeals. The documents include the appeal form that may contain personal details of the applicant and agent. Documents uploaded with the council's questionnaire may also contain personal data or special categories data (previously called sensitive personal data). Some of the third party comments are already redacted when received through the council's Planning Portal, others are redacted by our internal support team but some may still contain personal data or special categories data (previously called sensitive personal data), for example letters that are sent via the Planning Inspectorate (PINs).
These comments and comments previously made at application stage are forwarded to PINs and are currently not all redacted, as PINs do not make these documents public.
In addition, we write to third parties to notify them of the appeal. All of these documents are currently uploaded to the council's website as public information.
The consultations sent out to third parties advise the recipients to submit their comments either via the Planning Portal or by writing to PINs, the consultation letter includes the following paragraph:
Please note that your comments will be visible to the public at large. You should be careful not to provide personal data or special categories data (previously called sensitive personal data) which is capable of identifying you but if you do, you should be aware that the public will see it so you must only provide information which you are happy for the public at large to see.
If you supply personal data belonging to a third party, please ensure you have their permission to do so. More detailed information about data protection and privacy matters is available at the Information Commissioner's Office.
Third parties are informed when telephoning the council that their comments will be sent onto the appellant and the agent via PINs.