The Planning Inspectorate works for the The Department for Communities and Local Government and the National Assembly for Wales. Our principal activity is a range of casework under Planning and Environmental legislation.

The information on our Planning Inspectorate website and our associated web sites are intended to be helpful and informative.

We have made available an Inquiries page where you can find a list of Planning Inspectorate Inquiry web sites.

For information about our information access policy please see pages dedicated to:

The Freedom of Information Act and DCLG Publication Scheme

Personal Information Charter

The Planning Inspectorate, in line with the recommendations from the cross government Data Handling Review, has published its Personal Information Charter. This charter makes commitments to the public about how we will handle personal information that they entrust us with and in return asks them to provide us with accurate and up to date information so that we can provide them with relevant services.

Disclaimer

Neither any Department of Her Majesty's Government or any of its employees, agents or sub-contractors make any warranty, express or implied, or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any information contained on this site or any website referred to. If you access the site or any site referred to you should take appropriate steps to verify all such information.

Any Department of Her Majesty's Government cannot be held responsible for the contents of any pages referred to by a link to an external web site as the content is not managed or owned by us. Any reference on our sites to any persons, products, websites or services does not constitute or imply their endorsements, recommendation or favouring by any Department of Her Majesty's Government, its employees, agents or sub-contractor.

Privacy policy

Under the Data Protection Act 1998, we have a legal duty to inform you about and protect any information we collect from you. The following information is our policy at this time. This policy maybe subject to change and any changes will be an update to this page. You can remain aware of how we apply our policy to ensure your personal data is managed properly by regularly reviewing this page.

This privacy policy applies to:

Organisation Name: The Planning Inspectorate.

Web Site Address: http://www.planning-inspectorate.gov.uk

Web Site Managed By: The Planning Inspectorate.

Business Contact Address:

The Planning Inspectorate.
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Temple Quay
Bristol BS1 6PN

Data Controller: Department for Communities and Local Government

Web sites which are accessible from "related sites" within the above Planning Inspectorate sites are not maintained by the Planning Inspectorate, therefore not covered by this policy.

Confidentiality and security

Correspondents should note that all communications to or from The Planning Inspectorate and The Department for Communities and Local Government may be automatically logged, monitored and/or recorded for lawful purposes.

We do not give people who visit our web site the option of using a secure transmission method to send us their personal data. We implement security policies, rules, and technical measures to protect the personal data that we have under our control from:

unauthorised access
improper use or disclosure
unauthorised modification
unlawful destruction or accidental loss

All our staff that have access to, and are associated with the processing of personal data, are obliged to respect the confidentiality of individual's personal data.

Our web host keeps all web servers are on a private network, accessed through a firewall and network address translation, all machines are administered through secure (ssh) connections, intrusion detection is installed on all servers, logging goes to a separate machine and daily backups are kept in a separate building

Providing visitors with anonymous access

You can access our web site home page and browse our sites without disclosing your personal data.

Automatic collection of information

We do not use cookies for collecting your information from the site(s). Cookies are pieces of data created when you visit a website.

"Cookies" are a message given to a web browser by a web server. The browser stores the message file called cookie.txt. Each time the browser requests a page from the server, this message is sent back. A cookie's main objective is to identify users and personalise their visit by customising web pages for them for example by welcoming them by name next time they visit the same site. A site using cookies will usually invite you to provide personal information such as your name, e-mail address and interests.

The site(s) do not store or capture personal information, but merely logs your IP address which is automatically recognised by the web server.

We do not automatically log your personal data nor do we link information automatically logged by other means with personal data about specific individuals.

Data collection and purpose specification

We collect the personal data that you may volunteer while using our services.
We do not collect information about our visitors from other sources, such as public records or bodies, or private organisations.
If we wish to use your personal data for a new purpose, other than which it was originally supplied, we are required by law to ask you first.

Disclosure and visitor choice

We ensure that your personal data will not be disclosed to other institutions and authorities except if required by law or other regulation.

What information do we collect?

We collect different kinds of information or personal data that you may volunteer while using our website(s). This information will vary depending upon which pages or services are used.

1, Feedback, including comments and questions - (Email queries, see - Contact Us)

NB. In sending an Email or making telephone contact asking for information or help, we may need to contact another Department or organisation to find out information to help you. We do not pass on any of your personal information when dealing with your enquiry, unless you have given us permission to do so.

2, Site Usage Information - Log files.

Our web host The Stationary Office (TSO) puts together log files from all people who visit our sites, we use this information to make changes to the layout of the site and the information contained within it, based on the way people move around it. Log files do not contain any personal information, or information about which other sites you have visited.

3, Planning Appeals and Appeal Forms

We are committed to electronic working and you can now make, track and search for certain types of appeals online using the Planning Casework Service.
This is a service being developed through the Planning Portal Programme.
When determining an appeal, the Inspector (or the Secretary of State) receives a variety of personal information from a number of sources, including:

the original application, together with any documents of support or objection;
the appeal form together with any further documentation in support or objection;
local planning authorities;
the applicant
interested parties.

The type of personal information supplied is varied but includes:

contact information - your name, address, email address, telephone or mobile numbers;
your occupation;
information about your health;
information relating to expressed opinions or intentions in respect of a planning application or appeal.

Publication and Access to Information

In accordance with current statutory obligations, most of the documentation received will be made accessible to the public.

Appellants and Agents to note

This will include a copy of the original planning application form and relevant supporting documents supplied to the local authority by you or your agent, together with the completed appeal form and information you submit to the Planning Inspectorate. The Inspectorate may publish details, on the internet (on the Appeals area of the Planning Portal). Submissions may include your name, address, email address, phone number or signature. We do not accept anonymous submissions but you are not required to supply your signature.

Interested parties to note

The Inspectorate may publish your comments, on the internet (on the Aoppeals area of the Planning Portal). Your comments may include your name, address, email address, phone number or signature. We do not accept anonymous representations but you are not required to provide your signature.

Local authorities to note

As part of the move to e-enable services, local authorities are being asked to make information from their planning and building control registers and databases available on their websites. Guidance and information about the implications for managing personal data has been produced by The Planning and Regulatory Services Online project (PARSOL). The content has been discussed and approved by the Information Commissioner. See Making Information from Planning (Application and Enforcement) and Building Control Registers and Databases Available for further information.

Processing

Personal Data will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act. We will:

Only use the information for the purpose of dealing with and considering the relevant appeal;
Only hold the information for as long as is reasonably necessary. For completed appeals this is usually 12 months, although we retain a copy of the Inspector’s decision indefinitely. It may be that personal information could form part of the Inspector’s decision.

Your responsibilities:

Only provide personal information if you are happy for it to be placed in the public domain, including publication on the internet through the PCS.
Do not include personal information about another third party (including family members) unless you have told the individual concerned and they consent to it being supplied and you can provide evidence of this consent.
Tell us as soon as possible if any of the personal information you have provided should change.

Your rights to access personal data and how to make a complaint about the handling of your personal data

To request access to your personal data please use the online Subject Access Form

There is a statutory charge of £10. Proof of your identity will be required. Please return the completed form and evidence of identity using a secure postal method, not by email.

We have to provide you with a readable copy of the personal data that we keep about you within 40 days.

It is both in our interest and yours to hold accurate data. If the data we hold on you is inaccurate in any way, where appropriate, you may have the data:

erased
rectified or amended
completed

To complain about the handling of your personal data or any enquiry or concern about our privacy policy, contact:

The Planning Inspectorate
Customer Support Unit
Room 3/01
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Temple Quay
Bristol
BS1 6PN

Telephone: 0117 372 6372
Fax: 0117 372 8782
Email: enquiries@planning-inspectorate.gsi.gov.uk

The customer support Line Telephones are answered between 08:00 and 16:45 every weekday. Outside of these times messages are received on our voicemail.

Dispute

We aim to ensure that we have resolved any matters satisfactorily, however if you are not satisfied with our response you may contact:

The Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Switchboard: 01625 545 700

Fax: 01625 524 510

DX: 20819 Wilmslow

Website: http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Glossary

Browser
A software application used to locate and display Web pages.

Cookie
Message given to a web browser by a web server. The browser in a text file called cookie.txt then stores the message. Each time the browser requests a page from the server, this message is sent back. A cookie's main objective is to identify users and personalise their visit by customising web pages for them for example by welcoming them by name next time they visit the same site. A site using cookies will usually invite you to provide personal information such as your name, e-mail address and interests.

IP (Internet Protocol) All networks connected to the Internet speak IP, the technical standard that allows data to be transmitted between two devices. TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) is responsible for making sure messages get from one host to another and that the messages are understood.

IP address
If you are connected to the Internet you have one, for example it may look something like this 198.184.98.9

Web Server
Delivers (serves up) web pages to your computer.

How to view PDF documents

PDF files can be viewed using Adobe's Acrobat Reader. You can download Acrobat Reader free of charge from the Adobe website. Visit Access Adobe to find out how people with visual disabilities can get the most from this software.

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