How we process comments on planning applications

Upon receiving your comments, an administrative officer will review the content and screen for any offensive language. Any offensive, inflammatory or provocative content will have your comment discarded and non-publication of the comment. 

Once accepted, your comments will be saved into our back-office electronic records and published online along with your name for public viewing. A planning officer will then consider your comments as part of the recommended decision process.

In certain circumstances where the application goes to appeal your comments and name may be reviewed by the Planning Inspectorate (PINS). 

All comments made will be retained and publicly displayed for minimum of 4 years in order to comply with our statutory obligations under the Openness of Local Government Act 2014.

On occasion, comments can be copied into the planning officer's final report and as such will be retained in perpetuity.

Planning Services will not share your data with third parties except where necessary to process your comments and preventing or detecting crime. For further privacy information relating to the processing of planning applications, visit how we deal with your information.

Other details are available on our data protection and privacy page, or you can contact the Information Rights Officer, Guildford Borough Council, Millmead, Guildford, GU2 4BB (email: iro@guildford.gov.uk).