Action List :: Step 3

Step 3: Know your Rights

The Council is required to take into account 'material planning considerations' when reviewing your objections. Many councils permit you to submit your objections online and posted comments, positive and negative are also made available on the planning web site.

• Loss of light or overshadowing
• Overlooking/loss of privacy
• Visual amenity (but not loss of private view)
• Adequacy of parking/loading/turning
• Highway safety
• Traffic generation
• Noise and disturbance resulting from use
• Hazardous materials
• Smells
• Loss of trees
• Effect on listed building and conservation area
• Layout and density of building
• Design, appearance and materials
• Landscaping
• Road access
• Local, strategic, regional and national planning policies
• Government circulars, orders and statutory instruments
• Disabled persons' access
• Compensation and awards of costs against the Council at public enquiries
• Proposals in the Development Plan
• Previous planning decisions (including appeal decisions)
• Nature conservation
• Archaeology

The Council planners cannot take into account matters which are sometimes raised but are not normally planning considerations, such as:

• The perceived loss of property value
• Private disputes between neighbours
• The loss of a view
• The impact of construction work or competition between firms
• Restrictive covenants
• Ownerships disputes over rights of way
• Fence lines etc
• Personal morals or views about the applicant

Some Councils will state that it is important to understand that the material considerations relevant to any particular application will need to be weighed in the final decision process according to their seriousness and relative.