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Red kite flying over houses

Red kite © Luke Massey/2020VISION

How can I respond to planning applications?

Everyone can respond to planning applications which affect wildlife. You may be consulted as a neighbour by your local planning authority. Planning applications may also be publicised in local media and on the local planning authority’s website. All local planning authorities have a planning portal on their website where you can search for planning applications. It’s helpful to know the site address and the planning application reference number.

Ten tips for responding to planning applications

  1. Make sure to read through the plans and documents, so that you have a clear view of what the development entails and what the impacts may be. Plans and documents are made available for public viewing on your district/borough council’s website. There are often multiple documents: a good place to start is the Planning Statement, if there is one.
  2. Consider what impacts the proposed development may have on wildlife. Read through any ecological surveys that have been submitted with the application, and refer to them in your comment.  If no surveys have been done, but you think they should have been, state this in your comment. You may like to make reference to Natural England's Standing Advice on protected species. Please see our section on development and wildlife for more information.
  3. Follow your council’s instructions for submitting comments. Normally you can submit your comments online through your council’s planning portal, or by email or letter to the case officer or to the planning department. Make sure to include the application reference number in the subject line or heading.
  4. Make your letter concise, and communicate your concerns clearly.
  5. Present your concerns in a formal, polite and effective manner.
  6. Clearly relate and ground your comments in Local Plan policy, national planning policy or other legislation. Case officers will only consider matters that are ‘material considerations’ in the planning system, which basically means they must be covered by legislation or planning policy.  Please refer to our section on planning policy.
  7. Where relevant, remind the local authority of wildlife legislation, national biodiversity policy and the Hertfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
  8. Be realistic and constructive in your comments, for instance suggesting alternative locations or design solutions that would overcome your concerns.
  9. Keep in mind that the local authority may decide that overall the benefits of a proposal outweigh any possible harm. Consider and suggest to the case officer how the wildlife issues may be effectively mitigated or compensated for. Recommend to the case officer that conditions are applied to ensure sufficient and suitable biodiversity mitigation and enhancement if the development is granted permission.
  10. Remember, your view is important and the local authority has a duty to listen.