How to comment on a planning application

General guidance only. The right route, closing date and reference are on the Council's notice and planning register for the specific application. We do not give dates here because we have not seen an application. Check the Council's own planning pages at sutton.gov.uk.

This guide is the same whether you support or oppose a proposal.

1. Find the application

Look for the notice on a lamp-post or a letter from the Council, or search the Council's online planning register.
Note the application reference and the date by which comments should be received (shown on the register and the notice).

2. Read what was submitted

Drawings, a design and access statement and any technical reports are on the register. Read the case officer's report when it is published.

3. Write your comment

Use your own words and give your own name and address as the register requires. The Council normally publishes comments, so avoid putting in anything you don't want public.
Planning decisions turn on material planning considerations. Examples usually include: traffic and road safety, construction noise and dust, loss of trees or wildlife habitat, flood risk, design and effect on the street, loss of light or privacy, and compliance with the Local Plan.
Matters that are usually not material include: the company's finances, who owns it, property values, and personal disputes. These can still be raised with your councillors or through the Council's other processes – but not usually in a planning comment. (Check with a planning adviser if unsure.) Opinion
Be specific: say which part of the plan concerns you and why.
Be polite and factual. Don't name or accuse individuals.
One comment per person is enough. Identical copy-and-paste comments are usually given less weight than individual ones.

4. Submit before the deadline

Use the online form on the register or write to the planning team at the address on the notice. Keep a copy and the acknowledgement.

5. After you comment

The application will be decided by officers or by the planning committee. You may be able to register to speak at committee – check the Council's rules.
Ask your ward councillors what they intend to do; they can ask for a decision to go to committee.

If you are worried about a comment you have seen

If you think a comment on a register is not genuine, or contains personal data or abusive language, tell the Council's planning team and let them check. Please do not make claims about who wrote it.

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