Comment on a planning application

Online

1. Open our online portal and find the application you'd like to comment on 
2. Read all of the related notes, plans and documents
3. Send us your comments by clicking 'Comment on this application'
   (this will only appear if the application is open for comments)

Sending us your comments online is the quickest and easiest way to have your say.

Email: planningapplications@southtyneside.gov.uk. Please note that this email address should only be used for commenting on applications.

Post: Planning Group, Town Hall and Civic Offices, Westoe Road, South Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE33 2RL.

Please include the planning application reference number and your postal address. We cannot consider comments that are anonymous or that do not include your address.

How long you have to comment

If you have received a letter, you have 21 days from the date shown on the letter to comment.

If a site or press notice was issued, you have 21 days from the date the notice appeared to comment on the application. Please note that site and press notices are not posted for all planning applications.

All planning applications are published on this website with the deadline date for comments. Comments submitted after this time might not be considered because the application may have already been decided.

Where a householder appeal is dealt with by the fast track procedure there will be no opportunity for you to make further comments at the appeal stage.

Further information about making comments

Comments about applications are summarised / included in a report that is used as part of the determination process, along with the addresses of all those who have made comments. Names of any person who has requested to speak at Planning Committee will also be included in this report. A copy of the report will be published on the Council's website.

If an appeal is made by the applicant, we must send your comments to the Planning Inspectorate, who may publish them on their website, and we must also send them to the applicant. We will remove personal information from your comments when carrying this out. Please note that only the applicant can appeal against the Council's decision.

All comments, including photographs and other supporting information will also be available to the public to view at the Customer Contact Centre in South Shields Town Hall.

Please make sure that you only provide information, including your personal information, that you are happy to be made available to others. If you supply someone else's personal information please make sure you have their permission to do so.

Objections or supporting comments on applications must be rational, impersonal and directed principally to the planning issues raised by the proposal. Comments of a personal, slanderous, libellous, defamatory, or otherwise offensive or abusive nature are not constructive or helpful to the process of determining a planning application and may result in an action for libel. 

Where any comment is submitted which (in the Council's opinion) contains such material, we will return it, and ask it to be resubmitted, with the material in question omitted.   

How to get help with searching and commenting on planning applications

For more help, contact the Planning Group on 0191 424 7421 or email planningapplications@southtyneside.gov.uk

Privacy Notice - Development Management Service

For details, see Privacy notice: Development Management Service.

The types of issues that may be considered include:

• layout
• siting (where something is positioned on the site)
• design and external appearance of buildings
• access
• impact on the neighbourhood
• highway safety

The types of issues that won't be considered include:

• Loss of view
• Loss of property value
• Loss of trade or increased competition
• Restrictions in land and property deeds, known as restrictive covenants
• The motives or morals of the applicant

Online version

You can view the application online using a computer at South Shields Town Hall.

View the location and opening times of South Shields Town Hall (Customer Service Centre)

No appointment is needed to do this. 

Paper copy

If you wish to view a paper copy of the application and associated plans, an appointment must be made with the Case Officer dealing with it.

Please contact 0191 424 7421 or email planningapplications@southtyneside.gov.uk.

If you have particular difficulties with these arrangements, please contact us and we may be able to make alternative arrangements.

Most planning applications are decided by Council officers in accordance with an agreed scheme of delegation rather than by the Planning Committee.

However, if you wish to speak at Planning Committee, you must make this clear when you submit your comments and, if possible, provide a contact telephone number. 

We will write to you to let you know when the committee will consider the application and provide you with the Council's public speaking at planning committee protocol.

For details of planning meetings, see Planning Committee.

For details of the scheme of delegation or the public speaking at planning committee protocol, see Council Constitution.