Planning and Development Service Privacy Notice

Our core data protection obligations and commitments are set out in the Council’s primary privacy notice.

Who we are

We are the Planning and Development Service of Trafford Council. This privacy notice explains how we use information in the course of our work as a Local Planning Authority. This work includes:

  • Making decisions and providing advice on planning applications
  • Responding to allegations of unlawful development
  • Monitoring development
  • Entering legal agreements, serving notices and promoting the best use of land
  • Preparing policy documents and guidance

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. These include:

  • The Planning Portal;
  • iApply.

We also receive comments, representations, allegations, complaints and questions via email, letter and our website.

What we do with your information

To allow us to make decisions on their applications, individuals must provide us with some personal data (eg. name, address, contact details). In a small number of circumstances, individuals will provide us with “special category data” or sensitive data in support of their application (eg. 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.

  • Visit the ICO website for more informaton on 'public tasks'

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.”

We may sometimes need to share information submitted in support of, or relevant to, the consideration of planning and other related applications, or relevant to the preparation of policy documents, with external organisations and other specialist consultancies. These parties sometimes assist in processing planning applications or in preparing policy documents on behalf of the Council. We do not however, sell or otherwise disclose your information to other organisations.

Information displayed on our website

We will make details of planning applications available online so that people can contribute their comments. We will sometimes need to share the information we have with other parts of the Council - for example to establish how long a building has been used as a dwelling.

We also display on our website comments received from third parties such as the occupants of neighbouring properties. We will publish the names and addresses of those making comments or representations as these are material to the consideration of the application and form part of the ‘background papers’ for making the decision.

The following information that is kept on our files will normally be kept confidential and will not be made available for public inspection:

  • Correspondence / documents under ‘legal professional privilege’ eg. Counsel opinion;
  • Personal financial information;
  • Formal complaints and matters relating to breaches of planning control and      planning enforcement.

Redaction (‘blanking things out’)

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

  • Personal contact details for the applicant - eg. telephone numbers, email addresses;
  • Signatures;
  • Special Category Data - eg. 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 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 to email validation@trafford.gov.uk.

Retention (‘how long we keep your information for’)

We process many different types of information according to the following document retention periods:

  • Statutory registers (eg planning decisions, approved plans, legal agreements) – indefinitely.
  • Supporting documents, reports – indefinitely.
  • Representations, letters, general correspondence – indefinitely.

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 email development.management@trafford.gov.uk.

If you need to make a complaint specifically about the way we have processed your data you should in the first instance use our Corporate complaints online form.

Rights of individuals

Information about:

  • exercising your rights
  • contacting our Data Protection Officer
  • raising a concern with us, or
  • making a complaint to the Information Commissioner is accessible in our Guide to exercising your rights.

Updates (notice)

We may update or revise this Privacy Notice at any time so please refer back to this page for the most up to date version.

 

This page was last modified: Friday 3 December 2021 14:49