How do I comment on a planning application?

Planning applications are widely publicised to give the public an opportunity to make representations. There are four main ways in which we try to make people aware of proposals:

• Neighbour notification - we write to adjoining owners/occupiers on every occasion. In some cases wider consultation will be carried out at the discretion of the case officer.
• Newspaper - each week we publish in the Sussex Express a schedule of new planning applications received in Planning Services
• Site Notice - we display a site notice on every application site and we do our best to make sure it is visible from a public road.
• Web site - for the weekly list of new applications, please see the 'Relevant documents' section on the right of this page

Copies of all applications can be inspected at Planning Services, Southover House, Southover Road, Lewes during normal office hours, Monday to Friday.

To assist those wishing to make comments the Council issues guidance on what issues it can take into account when considering an application. Any comments must be received by the date stated in the letter/newspaper/site notice. We cannot guarantee that comments received after this date will be taken into account when the application is determined although we will do so whenever possible. Comments can also be made online, please see the more about 'Planning online comments form' to the right of this page. All letters of representation are acknowledged.

Please note that letters of representation are required by law to be made available for public inspection and therefore objections cannot be treated as confidential.

Once an application has been determined we write to all those who made comments.