Comment on Planning Applications

How do I comment on a planning application?

Before making comments to an application, it is advisable to view the documents and plans at Online Planning. Comments on applications can only be taken into account if they are made on relevant planning issues.  These are known as material considerations.

What is considered

Material considerations are the issues we can consider when assessing a planning application.

Material planning considerations include:

• Contrary to the Development Plan
• Road safety, traffic and parking issues
• Residential amenity (loss of privacy, overshadowing, loss of daylight, etc)
• Appearance (design, materials, scale, massing, etc)
• Impact on the character and setting of a listed buildings and/or conservation areas

Non-Material Considerations

Non-material considerations are issues that cannot be taken account of and cannot influence our decision on an application.

Non-material planning considerations include:

• Loss of a private view
• Impact on property values
• Legal issues such as feu restrictions or land ownership disputes
• Commercial interests and competition
• Matters covered by building regulations or other legislation

Timeframe for commenting on a planning application

Comments will be accepted for a period of 28 days from the date of issue of neighbour notification or until the statutory period has elapsed, whichever is longer. It has been decided that this is a reasonable period for any comments to be submitted. Any comments received after this time cannot be considered.

Submitting comments on a planning application

The most straightforward way to submit your comments on a planning application is through the Council's Online Planning Service. In order to comment in this way, you must Register/Login to the Online Planning Service.

Please note that comments cannot be kept confidential. All comments and your name and address will be available here. Any comments deemed to be racist or offensive cannot be considered and may be passed to Police Scotland.

Alternatively, comments can be submitted in writing, quoting the application reference number and site address to:

Planning and Building Standards
Glasgow City Council
231 George Street
Glasgow
G1 1RX

Comments submitted must be signed, dated and have an address for an acknowledgement to be sent to. They should clearly state the reference number of the application you want to comment on, and the grounds on which the representation is made.

Pre-printed or standard copied letters of representation will be accepted for consideration, if they are individually addressed, signed and dated. These details are required so that the Council can send you or the persons making comments individual letters of acknowledgement that it has received the representation.

Anonymous letters of representation will not be considered.

Petitions for or against a proposal may be submitted. These will be accepted and considered if:

• Each page of the petition is headed with the objective of the petition;
• Signatories provide their name and addresses in a legible fashion; and
• The name and address of the petition organiser is included, so that the Council can send a letter of acknowledgement that it has received the petition.

What happens if I make representations?

Your representation will be acknowledged. Any representations you make will be made available online. Material representations will be taken into account by the Council when making the decision provided they have been received within the notification period.  

Glasgow City Council respects your personal information and undertakes to comply with Data Protection. To meet requirements of Planning legislation, all representations, including your name and address, are made available for inspection both on the internet and at Council Offices during the processing of the application. Once the application has been determined, representations will be removed from the internet, although a copy will be retained in the application file.

You will be advised in writing of the Council's decision. Anonymous objections will not be considered. You do not have the right of appeal against this decision.

Most applications are dealt with under the terms of the Council's Scheme of Delegation. This is available here. Other applications are presented to the Planning Applications Committee for decision.

In some cases, this Committee can take the final decision on the application, whilst in other cases the application requires to be referred to the Full Council. Irrespective of how the application is decided, any material objections you submit within the specified period - normally 28 days - will be considered in the decision-making process.