Planning and Planning Policy privacy notice

Who we are

We are the planning department for Staffordshire Moorlands District Council. Our work includes

• Making decisions and providing advice on planning applications
• Making planning policies
• Working with neighbourhoods on their plans
• Working with neighbouring authorities on strategic policies 
• Responding to allegations of unlawful development
• Monitoring development 
• Entering legal agreements, serving notices and promoting the best use of land

If you have questions about data or privacy you can contact our Data Protection Officer by email: DPO@staffsmoorlands.gov.uk

Or by post: Data Protection Officer, Moorlands House, Stockwell Street, Leek, ST13 6HQ.

How we get your information

We get applicant information in two ways - it is supplied to us directly (or via a planning agent on their behalf) or we receive it from a third party website that provides a transaction service. This includes the Planning Portal.

We also receive comments, representations, allegations and questions in relation to planning applications and planning policy via email, letter, and through our online platform(s). This includes the Objective online consultation system for planning policy consultations. Stakeholders may request to be added to our planning policy consultation database to be notified of future planning policy consultations or register their details on the database themselves on our website.

What we do with your information

Planning Applications

To allow us to make decisions on their applications individuals must provide us with some personal data (e.g. name, address, contact details). In a small number of circumstances individuals will provide us with "special category data" in support of their application (e.g. evidence of medical history).

We use the information provided to us to make decisions about the use of land in the public interest. This is known as a "public task" and is why we do not need you to "opt in" to allow your information to be used.

Some information provided to us we are obliged under the regulations to make available on planning registers. This is a permanent record of our planning decisions that form part of the planning history of a site, along with other facts that form part of the "land search". Data provided in support of planning applications will be published on our website to allow us to consult the public on proposals and in order to maintain a public record of our decisions and the evidence behind them.

If you make a comment, this must be put on public file by law and will be placed on our online planning register. We operate a policy where we routinely redact personal information before making these available online, this includes email addresses, telephone numbers and signatures as well as Special Category Data (e.g. supporting statements or comments or information about health conditions or ethnic origin).  We won't reuse any information you provide, but this does mean:

• your comment, name and address will form part of the planning application and will be viewable online
• your comment, name and address will form part of the planning application documents and will be viewable online

Planning Policy

Copies of consultation responses and the name and organisation of the persons making representations will be made publically available on our website. The Council considers consultation responses in order to help shape planning policy documents such as the Local Plan, neighbourhood plans or Supplementary Planning Documents. Anonymous responses to planning policy consultations are not accepted.

How we share your information

We do not sell your information to other organisations. We do not move your information beyond the UK. We do not use your information for automated decision making.

We will make details of planning applications and planning policy consultations available online so that people can contribute their comments. We will sometimes need to share the information we have with other services of the council. Contractors may also support the Council in processing representations.

At the appropriate stage in the process, representations relating to planning policy will be submitted to planning inspector or independent examiner for examination purposes.

We also send out a follow-up "how did we do?" survey to people using our service to see how we can improve it.

Redaction ('blanking things out')

We operate a policy where we routinely redact the following details before making forms,  documents and representations available online:

• Personal contact details for the applicant - e.g. telephone numbers, email addresses
• Personal contact details (excluding the address) on third party comments, neighbours, objectors, supporters received on a planning application - e.g. telephone numbers, email addresses
• Signatures
• Special Category Data - e.g. supporting statements that include information about health conditions or ethnic origin
• Information agreed to be confidential

Sometimes we might decide it is necessary, justified and lawful to disclose data that appears in the list above. In these circumstances we will let you know of our intention before we publish anything.

If you are submitting supporting information with your planning application which you would like to be treated confidentially or wish to be specifically withheld from the public register, please let us know as soon as you can - ideally in advance of submitting the application. The best way to contact us about this issue is planning@highpeak.gov.uk

Retention ('how long we keep your information for')

We process many different types of information according to our retention policy.

Complaints and problems 

Making decisions on planning matters is a public task and you do not have the right to withdraw consent. However if you think we have got something wrong or there is a reason you would prefer for something to not be disclosed please contact us as soon as possible. If you are concerned about the way that we are handling your information then you should contact our Data Protection Officer. Contact details are provided in this notice.

We will investigate your concerns and respond to you within 28 calendar days.

If you are still unhappy after receiving our response then you can raise your concerns with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). More information about raising concerns, including how to contact the ICO, is provided on the ICO website.

https://ico.org.uk/