e-Access for Development Control & Building Control

Welcome to our on-line, free, self-service planning information system that offers a wide range of up to the minute planning information. The information we provide is a combination of planning data, planning scanned documents and electronic map data (pending).

Our planning service has been designed to be easy to use. The information we provide offers users a choice of criteria for both selection and sorting, and is constantly updated in real time.
Information and Help options are provided for each page and it is recommended these be read through before starting.

Our fees

e-Access service is provided without any charge. Downloading of documents is also uncharged. Please note however that planning and building regulation applications are fee based.

Our standards

The government required that all local authorities were to be e-government compliant by December 2006. In providing this on-line service we have broadly followed e-government advice and requirements as set out in the Pendleton and PARSOL criteria.

Our service also takes account of the Data Protection Act, and government advice as it is understood to apply to information standards and wider issues of social inclusion etc.

Our on-line technical performance

The basic advice is that the better your equipment and connections to the web, then the quicker our system can respond. We would suggest that the best performance is likely to be secured using broadband Internet and a PC with current specifications. Older PC specifications and use of modems are likely to offer slower responses- especially when opening our scanned files.

Planning Interactive is best-viewed using Internet Explorer version 5.5 or above with a screen resolution of 1024 by 768 (with a minimum resolution of 800 by 600) and at least 256 colours. Different settings may restrict your viewing, especially on PCs with older specifications.

Given the self-service nature of our on-line planning service we are not able to provide any on-line support service dealing with any technical/performance issues arising from the use of your equipment. This also applies to use of the Planning Portal.

What we provide

Our approach is to combine on-line planning information from 3 key systems:

• Planning database(s) for Planning Register detail 
• Scanning systems which provides access to scanned planning application details
•  Mapping systems showing- amongst other things- planning application site locations

This information is provided in 3 main ways:

• Searching individual applications or addresses 
• Searching ‘ Planning Register’ for group lists such as for Appeals or Enforcements
• Basic scanned planning application files* to show application form, plans, officer/committee report and third party letters

What we don’t provide

• Any on-line support concerning the use of the system (please refer to the Help, Information and FAQs options).
• Any on-line support service dealing with technical problems you may experience (such as speed of loading).
• Any direct response to queries arising from the information we provide- (hopefully) the information is self-evident.

Caveats

• Planning Interactive undergoes periodic enhancement and development and so any problems reported that can be addressed are incorporated into the next release. Hence some planned options shown are pending a subsequent release.
• Our Planning Register Data - some of which goes back to April 1996 - may not necessarily be wholly consistent where addresses are concerned and so address based searches are best independently double-checked.
• At present the planning data held on our system goes back 1 April 1996.
• We are obliged to take account of the Data Protection Act so at present we do not provide web based public access to the complete scanned planning application file. However, you may view the complete application file, including archive 3rd party representations (but excluding confidential information), at during normal working hours.
• Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of current addresses held on our system we cannot guarantee the results of any address based search and so it is recommended that results be independently double checked before use.
• Likewise we cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of our data and so it is recommended that results (such as very recent decisions) be verified before use.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is e-government and e-planning?

Since the Millennium there has been a national drive to achieve electronic government. One such initiative is e-planning.

In the broadest of terms, e-government and e-planning is a new way for people to do business with national and local government by making use of the internet (sometimes referred to as the ‘information super highway’).

The aim is to offer quicker and easier access to public services ‘24/7’ thus making life easier for residents and business, and making public service provision more responsive, integrated and cost -effective.

Equally, to minimize social exclusion, internet facilities are provided (free) at the Council’s offices during normal working hours and also at County Council libraries within the District.

Disclaimer

Introduction and Agreements

The Planning Interactive is a free on-line Internet service that enables you to access planning information held the Council�s computerised planning systems. Our Planning Interactive service has been designed to be comprehensive and easy to use. Information and Help options are provided for each page and it is recommended these be checked before proceeding. However, before starting off it is necessary for all users to agree to our terms and conditions of use, summarised below

1. General disclaimer as regards land and property information provided

Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy and the completeness of the information held on this system, neither can be guaranteed. You are recommended to check before acting on the information supplied.

Please note that all address based information held on this system may not match the National Gazetteer of addresses and hence cannot be relied upon for the purposes of address based searching.

2. Copyright must be adhered to.

Further copies may not be made without prior permission of the copyright owner.

Plans, drawings and material submitted to the Council are protected by the Data Protection Act and the Copyright Act and are provided under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Under these Acts you may only use material which is downloaded and/or printed in order to:-

• Inspect and comment upon a current planning application ( i.e. one that has not yet been decided)
• to compare current applications with previous schemes
• to check whether developments are being/have been completed in accordance with approved plans

In general, the owner of plans and elevations will be the applicant and/or agent, and Ordnance Survey in the case of maps and site plans.

3. Data Protection Act 1998 and Freedom of Information Act 2000

The Data Protection Act 1998 imposes restrictions on the ways in which the Council can hold and deal with personal data such as names, addresses, telephone numbers, fax numbers, email addresses etc. In compliance with the requirements of the Act, the general provision of personal details on our web site has been kept to a practicable minimum. Accordingly, any personal information provided on our web site is not to be used for any purpose other than the uses stated above. Hence our search engines do not offer the option to search on the name of the applicant.

Moreover, following government requirements, personal information held on our databases (such as applicant names) are taken off our site once a decision has been issued.

Our web based mailing lists are continuously cleansed, we remove personal information every 6 months from the date you signed up. As appropriate we provide an advice note on all our contacts with agents, applicants and the public as follows:-

All representations received by the Council commenting on any planning application will normally be scanned and made available to the general public on our website. If you wish to comment on a planning application, you may prefer that certain personal details, such as your private telephone number and e-mail address, are not published on the Internet, in which case you should ensure that such details are not contained in your comments.

Please note, however, that if your comments do not contain your name and address they will be treated as an anonymous and given little weight.

However, having regard to the Freedom of Information Act 2000, all Planning Register information relating to an application such as application forms, plans, drawings etc, together with 3rd party letters, faxes and emails etc, are generally available for public viewing at The Civic Centre without restriction. The only exceptions relate to matters that in our judgment are of a personal nature or defamatory or otherwise in breach of the law.

Next Steps

By viewing the data in e-Access you agree to and will abide by Copyright controls, Freedom of Information Act and Data Protection Act as further detailed through the links where provided.