Getting involved
Will my letter or email be kept Confidential?
We deal with some 3,000 planning and related applications per year and many of them attract letters of comment.
You should note that any comment you make
cannot be treated as confidential and will be available for anyone to view at the Planning Service reception. It may also be necessary to make them available to the applicant/agent to seek resolution of concerns. Material which forms part of an application and on which the final decision is based must also be available for public inspection. Following advice from the Information Commissioner's Office it has been necessary to, temporarily, remove
all letters of representation from the Council's online planning pages. However, these letters can be viewed as part of the Planning register at Pullar House during normal office hours (8:45 am to 5:00pm).
While we
do not accept anonymous submissions you are
not required to supply your signature.
During the processing of an application, it will not be possible for the case officer to engage in discussion of the planning issues with third parties. Advice can however be given on progress and procedures. It is similarly inappropriate for case officers to attend open meetings or other meetings with interested individuals as they are unable to enter into discussion of the scheme.
How can I make Comments?
You should make sure that your objection, representation or statement of support should relate to valid planning grounds (for example Structure and Local Plan policy, how it looks, traffic issues, residential amenity, design) and should be made after you have looked at the application and plans.
The majority of planning applications are determined by the Head of Planning under delegated powers. The remainder of the applications are determined by the Council's Development Control Committee.
Valid planning objections form part of the report prepared by the Head of Planning and will be taken into account by us in making a decision. All valid letters of support, objection and representation, can be seen by you three working days before the meeting of the Development Control Committee which will consider the application.
Can I send in a petition?
You may send a petitions of objection or support which will be considered provided that:
- each page of the petition is headed with the aim of the petition
- the names and addresses of those signing are provided and are readable
- the comments are material in planning terms and clearly stated
- the name and address of the petition co-ordinator is included for receipt of acknowledgement and notification of decision
You should note that acknowledgement and notification of the decision will not be made to every individual signatory of the petition.
Can I send in an email?
You may send emails of objection or support which will be considered provided that you also give us your name and full postal address. If we do not have your name and full postal address the email wil be treated as being anonymous and not considerd by planning officers or made available to Councillors before they consider a particular proposal.
Emails can be sent to developmentmanagement@pkc.gov.uk. Alternatively you can make comments by using the online submission form available on planning applications online our on-line service that gives you details of all planning applications submitted to and decisions made by us since 1995.
Can I get help in making comments on an application?
You may send emails of objection or support which will be considered provided that you also give us your name and full postal address. If we do not have your name and full postal address the email wil be treated as being anonymous and not considerd by planning officers or made available to Councillors before they consider a particular proposal.
Emails can be sent to
developmentmanagement@pkc.gov.uk. Alternatively you can make comments by using the online submission form available on
planning applications online our on-line service that gives you details of all planning applications submitted to and decisions made by us since 1995.
Can I get help in making comments on an application?
Planning Aid for Scotland is a voluntary organisation run by qualified and experienced planners, giving information and advice on all aspects of town and country planning and related issues. Planning Aid Scotland can help individuals, Community Councils, Tenants' Associations and voluntary local groups who cannot afford to pay for private consultants.
Will my letter or email be kept Confidential?
You should note that any comment you make cannot be treated as confidential and will be available for anyone to view. It may also be necessary to make them available to the applicant/agent to seek resolution of concerns. Material which forms part of an application and on which the final decision is based must also be available for public inspection.
It is emphasised that all letters of representation, including all address details, will be treated as public documents and will, for instance, be displayed for public inspection at the Council Offices at Pullar House, Perth. While we do not accept anonymous submissions but you are not required to supply your signature.
What happens to my letter/email and comment?
Delegated items
Most applications are considered as Delegated Items, where authority to make the decision on the application is delegated to the Head of Planning taking account of any comments received. The Scheme of Delegation is available from the Council on request.
Items considered at Committee
Letters of comment/emails are made available to Committee members, and are available at the Council Headquarters 3 working days before the Committee meeting at which the application is to be considered. Applications are considered by the Development Control Committee, and comments are summarised in the Committee report.
Reports on planning applications are generally submitted to the Development Control Commitee which generally meets at 9:30am on Wednesdays. Use the link to the Development Control Committee page to get the dates the Committee sits, agendas, reports and minutes.
What happens to anonymous or racist representations?
Anonymous letters or emails commenting on an application cannot be considered. We operate a specific procedure for handling letters of comment which include racist remarks. Such letters will not be considered, and the writer will be advised of our concerns and asked to amend their letter, or it will be withdrawn.
