How do Planning Services treat planning documents?
We make all documents we receive available in electronic format as quickly as possible so that they can be shared with all interested parties and be published on our planning register.
The way in which we deal with documents depends on how we receive them. People can submit applications electronically via the Planning Portal, on the Guildford Borough Council website or by Email. These documents are stored in our software systems with private information (for example telephone numbers, signatures and email addresses) already removed. Comments on planning applications can also be submitted via email or online via the public access portal.
If we get paper copies of documents, these are scanned so that we can display them on our planning website and we use software that allows us to blank out private information. This process is known as redaction. With the exception of application drawings, we do not keep any paper copies once an application has been decided, except for Major applications or older applications that have yet to be converted to electronic format. Currently we keep files for up to two years.
Older planning applications where all documents were originally paper based have been saved to microfiche slides (1947 -1995) and saved as image files on a software program (1995 -2005) and pre-date modern legislation on data privacy. We aim to make these older documents GPDR compliant as much as possible by redacting sensitive personal information before making them public.
For public comments on an application, we publish the sender's address only if it appears in the document or letter itself. If a contributor wishes for their address to be redacted, they can request us to do so. All contributor details are recorded on our software system for each application.