Commenting on Planning Applications

The District Planning Authority is unable to consider matters which are not material planning considerations and are unable to attribute weight to such matters within the planning judgment.

What are material planning considerations?

A material consideration is a matter that can be taken into account in determining a planning application or on an appeal against a planning decision.

Material considerations can include (but are not limited to):

  • Local, strategic, national planning policies and policies in the Development Plan (the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan plus any ‘made’ Neighbourhood Plan)
  • Overlooking/loss of privacy and overshadowing
  • Layout, design, density and visual appearance of development  
  • Loss of light or overshadowing
  • Parking, traffic impacts, highway safety and capacity
  • Noise, air quality, dust and emissions/odour
  • Contaminated land
  • Effects on heritage assets including listed buildings, Conservation Areas, Registered Parks and Gardens and Scheduled Monuments
  • Accommodation needs including disabled persons' access
  • Previous planning decisions (including appeal decisions)
  • Ecology and biodiversity
  • Trees and landscaping
  • Principles of Case Law held through the Courts
  • Drainage and flood risk
  • Capacity of physical/social infrastructure including schools and GP practices
  • Housing supply including affordable housing provision

The weight attached to material considerations in reaching a decision is a matter of judgement for the decision-taker. However, issues such as loss of view, perception of negative effects on the value of properties, personal circumstances, opposition to business competition and civil matters between neighbours are not material considerations’.

Where a comment raises non-material matters, they may not be highlighted or evaluated within the Officer Report or Committee Report recommendations. Please do try keep your comments brief and concise - you may wish to use sub-headings to illustrate each point. 

You should focus on the planning issues relevant to the planning application as these influence the decision making process. We cannot take other non-planning related comments into consideration. When making a comment please make sure that it is not offensive, harmful or untrue. If comments are received which the Council deems to be offensive, harmful or untrue applying the examples given below (this list is not exhaustive) the comment in its entirety will not be posted to the Council’s website even if it also raises material planning considerations. 

However we may at our discretion give the opportunity for the comment to first be modified and re-submitted. You are responsible for any statements that you make, and appropriate checks may be made to ensure the authenticity of online accounts and comments posted. As a general guide, the Council will not publish or consider any content which:

  • Contains statements that lower personal or organisational reputation (personally or within their trade, profession or business)
  • Contains statements that discriminate against individuals on grounds including their race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability 
  • contain or promote sexually explicit material
  • promotes violence
  • infringes any copyright, database right or trade mark of any other person
  • Is likely to deceive any person
  • Is made in breach of any legal duty owed to a third party, such as a contractual duty or a duty of confidence
  • Promotes any illegal activity
  • Contains statements that highlight a person’s vulnerability
  • Is threatening, abusive or invade another's privacy, or cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety