When a planning application gets submitted, your local council are generally obliged to notify neighbours and those who might be affected by the proposed development. In addition, you can find out about all planning applications on your council’s website which might be of interest – often being able to download any details which may be pertinent to any planning objections put forward. This is a good place to start, and is vital to kick-starting the appeals process.
To begin with, if you would like to file a planning application objection, you will have to write to your local planning department and quote the planning application number. Councils normally like this to be done within 21 days of an application, and the more people who can write the better. However, as Martin Goodall claims in his blog post, ‘do not be tempted to organise a petition; it will not carry any weight’
When you are registering a planning application objection with your local council, the only things that are worth mentioning are things that are relevant to the proposed property and its effect on you and the area in question. If the development potentially affects the character of an area through noise, disturbance, visual impact or privacy, then these all should be borne in mind and discussed in your letter of objection. Anything that’s relevant, without discussing anything potentially offensive or libellous, should be taken into consideration.