The Development Management Section seeks to exercise planning control in the public interest, and are committed to publicising and consulting widely on planning proposals.
Applicants are entitled to know their applications will be publicised, and neighbours and other interested parties should know that they will be given adequate opportunity to comment on any proposals.
Derbyshire Dales District Council has to consider any application it receives, and can only consider the application on the basis of information that is submitted. While we encourage applicants to participate in Pre-application advice discussions in advance of making a formal submission, many applications are submitted without any prior discussion.
Once an application is submitted, we adopt a neutral position until all relevant consultations have been taken into account and the merits of the case have been fully evaluated against national and local planning policies and other material considerations.
We adopt exactly the same position for our own applications as those of private applicants.
How we consult on planning applications
It is a statutory requirement for some publicity to be given to most planning applications. Within the Derbyshire Dales, all planning applications are publicised either by means of press advertisement, site notices or individual neighbour notification.
Every week, a list of significant planning applications (excluding minor domestic applications) received during the preceding week is published in the local press for public information. Applications in the central area are advertised in the Peak Advertiser and applications in the southern area are advertised in the Ashbourne News Telegraph. The weekly list can also be viewed online via our Online Planning Register.
Within 10 working days of receipt, a site notice is affixed near to the application site and any neighbouring occupiers affected by the proposal are notified by individual letters. The notice and letters will advise where the proposals are available for inspection and inform you of the deadline by which comments should be submitted. This will normally be 21 days.
During this period, the views of other statutory consultees or interested organisations will also be sought. The only exceptions to these arrangements are:
- applications where we are not the determining authority
- applications for power lines
- applications for certificates of lawful use
- development and advertisement applications
Application case files can also be viewed via our Online Planning Register.
Copies of application documentation are forwarded to all relevant Town/Parish Councils and local Ward Members (councillors). Liaison is maintained between the Case Officer and Ward Member throughout the life of the application.
You can view planning applications via the planning search button above or via our self-service PC which is located at the following location:-
Town HallBank RoadMatlockDerbyshireDE4 3NN(Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9.00am - 2.00pm and Wednesday 9.30am to 2.00pm)
Copies of application documentation may be purchased (subject to copyright provisions) and will be provided either directly by us or via the applicant/agent on payment of appropriate copying charges.
Our practice is to negotiate, where appropriate, improvements to applications in order to improve the quality of the development. Where following the initial publicity, changes are made to the proposal which are of significance, those persons who have made representations will be re-notified by letter.
Where proposals are changed in such a way as to materially affect the character or description of the proposed development, the Development Manager may at their discretion, undertake further publicity, including site notices, press advertisements and neighbour notification again.
How to comment on planning applications
Comments may be submitted by anyone, regardless of whether they were formally consulted by the District Council or not. Any representations objecting to a development proposal must, however, be based on material planning considerations, which include:
- National and local planning policy;
- The appropriateness of the design / appearance of development;
- effect on traffic and parking;
- amenity impacts, including whether development would appear overbearing or result in a loss of light or privacy, and;
- the impact on the local environment.
We cannot take into account matters like the loss of property value, disruption or loss of views, personal disputes between neighbours, matters covered by leases or covenants, or competition between different operators.
In the interests of fairness (to give the applicant opportunity to address any concerns that you raise) and transparency and to ensure that the District Council gives appropriate weight to your comments in reaching a decision on an application, you will need to provide details of your name and address.
Representations that do not contain name and address details will be given limited weight in the assessment of an application and will not count as a representation under the Council's scheme of delegation. Such comments will be held on the public file (published online) as a non-attributable representation and separated out from other valid representations in officer reports. The only exception to the above is if there are special circumstances for making anonymous representations (for example, keeping confidential the address of a person who is the subject of harassment). These exceptional circumstances will need to be clearly set out in your comments.
Please be aware that any written comments you make about an application, by law, must be placed on the public file. This means that:
- Your comments, and your name and address, will form part of the planning application documents;
- Your comments will be published on our website including your name and address;
- We will remove any personal data that is not relevant to the assessment of an application (such as signatures, email addresses and telephone numbers) before publishing;
- It may be possible for your name and address to appear in search results on Google, Yahoo and other internet browsers/search engines (of which the Council has no control over).
The Local Planning Authority does not acknowledge receipt of representations relating to Planning Applications. We aim to publish representations within 2 working days of receipt.
Comments should be submitted as soon as possible, although the Council will take into account representations received up to the date it makes a decision. Comments should be made in writing, by individual letter or petition and forwarded to:
Regulatory ServicesDerbyshire Dales District CouncilTown HallBank RoadMatlockDE4 3NNAlternatively, representations may be submitted using our online planning system or by email to
The decision making process
We normally have eight weeks from the date of registration in which to make a decision, unless an extension of time has been agreed with the applicant. The majority of planning decisions (approx 90 per cent) are determined by the Council's Development Manager following consultation with local Ward Members. Ward Members are contacted at the conclusion of consideration of the application; advised of consultations/representations; advised of the intended decision and agreement is sought to the use of delegated procedures. There is always the option for the Ward Member or Case Officer to refer the application to Committee.
The names and contact details of Ward Members can be found in the Your Councillors section of this website. Applications that are to be determined by either the Central & Northern or Southern Area Planning Committees are the subject of committee reports. These reports are made available five working days before the meeting.
Public participation at planning meetings
The meetings of the Planning Committees are held in public during the evening. Members of the public wishing to address the Planning Committee may do so by notifying the Committee Administrator (Tel 01629 761300) before 12 noon on the day of the relevant meeting. At this time, you will be asked to indicate the item of business your representation relates to and whether you are supporting or opposing the proposal.
Those persons who indicate that they wish to make representations must attend the venue by 5.45pm on the day of the meeting and inform the Committee Administrator.
Representations will only be allowed in respect of those applications which are scheduled for debate at that particular meeting. Those making representations will be invited to do so immediately before the relevant item of business is discussed and will be limited to 3 minutes.
Notifying you of the decision
Only the applicant (or agent if they have appointed one) will be notified of the final decision. Anyone else wishing to be notified of the decision should use the tracking facility on our online application system.
Only the applicant can appeal against our decision. In the event of an appeal being made by the applicant, individuals who have previously made comments on the appeal application will be informed and you will have the opportunity to make further representations to the Government Planning Inspector dealing with the appeal.
Lists of decisions and appeals are published and a register of planning decisions can be inspected at the Town Hall, Matlock or via our Online Planning Register.
