What happens to comments we receive on planning applications?

If possible please send comments to planning@lakedistrict.gov.uk

Consultations

We will display all replies from organisations on the relevant application on our website. Please do not provide signatures, personal telephone numbers or email addresses, organisation details are fine.

Public comments

You can find more information about how to comment here. We will display all replies from the public on the relevant application on our website. We aim to do this within three working days, although sometimes it can take longer. If an application attracts significant numbers of representations, or is likely to, we will process representations weekly. We will not send acknowledgement letters or emails. Please do not provide signatures or telephone numbers. We will redact any signatures, email addresses and telephone numbers before we display the reply on our website. If you comment after an application has been determined we will return your comments to you. Please see our guidance note on how we handle personal data.

What happens to representations containing personal comments?

If we display on our website matters containing untrue allegations that undermine somebody’s reputation this could be defamatory. This has potentially serious implications for legal action against us and the writer and we do not want to take this risk. We are committed to avoiding displaying comments on our website that may be defamatory. We take a precautionary approach and if we consider or we have doubt that the comments or allegations could be defamatory we will:

• return the correspondence
• destroy the original correspondence

We encourage people to:

• adhere to planning matters and avoid personal comments
• consider providing their comments again in another way, if we return them, in order that we can consider views on planning matters
• let us know if you believe that we have displayed a comment that could be defamatory and we will review and remove it where appropriate

Comments that are substantially true or are an honest opinion – based on fact, giving the basis for the opinion and expressed as opinion – are not likely to be found to be defamatory. However, we may not know what is defamatory and what is honest opinion. In any event our display of personalised comments is not in our or the public interest and we will seek to avoid doing so.