Planning regulations set out who we should let know about new applications, but often residents hear about them from a friend or an article in the newspaper.

If you would like to tell us your opinion on new applications, please contact us.

When we get a new application, it has all the plans and reports we need to start our assessment.

We will publicise the application by:

• sending a letter to neighbours close by;
• displaying a notice on or near to the application site, or;
• displaying a public notice in the Staffordshire Newsletter

Depending on the size and type of application, it could be one or all of these options.

For smaller applications, the regulations say that we can either display a notice on or near the site, or we can write to neighbouring properties. Often we will do both, but we have to use judgement as to how widely we send the individual letters.

Residents often contact us saying that they are concerned that because they didn’t get a letter, they aren’t considered to be affected by the proposed development.

You do not need to have a letter from us to let us know your opinion.