Planning applications online

Search for planning information

The search on our planning online website provides details of current and historic planning applications.

Planning online allows you to:

• View details of planning applications, appeals and enforcement cases.
• View associated plans and documents, including officer's report and decision notice.
• Search a weekly list of applications and decisions.
• See recent planning history, property details, including maps and constraints.
• Make comments on applications that have yet to be decided.

Commenting on applications

Any written comments you make about an application, by law, must be publicly available. By submitting comments using the online service you can:

• Receive an instant email acknowledgement of your comments.
• Ensure that your email address will automatically be removed from the information that is published on the website.
• Track the application and receive email updates. You will need to register to use this facility.

Your comment will immediately be published on our website, including your name and address. For details of which of your personal details will be published, please see our commenting on planning applications page.

Making an effective comment

• Make sure you comment on planning matters. For details of what you can comment on, please see our commenting on planning applications page.
• Remember to include your name and address.
• Don't make comments about the applicant or other interested parties.
• Don't use the online comments facility as a forum to exchange views.

Receive updates by email

You must complete the registeration form on the planning online website if you wish to:

• Receive email updates as applications progress, or are registered.
• Create your own search profiles and save details of searches.
• Track specific applications.

To help you use the search options and features, please read the guidance notes from the related documents section.

Conditions of use

• Plans, drawings and material submitted to the council are protected by the Copyright Acts (Section 47, 1988 Act).
• You may only use material which is downloaded and / or printed for consultation purposes, to compare current applications with previous schemes and to check whether developments have been completed in accordance with approved plans.
• Further copies must not be made without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

Limitations of the service

• Under normal circumstances plans and documents associated with new planning applications can be viewed within five working days of validation of the application. Try a few days later if you're unable to see them.
• Associated plans and documents will only be available for applications received after August 1 2005.
• The online planning history contained within the site at present is incomplete and must not be used as a substitute for carrying out a formal 'Land Charge Search'. No responsibility will be taken for any errors or omissions in the planning history information obtained from Planning Online.
• Similarly the information contained within Planning Online does not constitute in any way a formal notification of a planning decision. As such any actions taken as a result of information displayed on the site are undertaken entirely at the viewer’s own risk.
• The department has not yet had time to check the accuracy of all the site boundaries back to 1947. If an obvious error is found, please contact us and it will be corrected as quickly as possible.

Viewing Planning Online in your web browser

• Planning Online is best viewed with Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher, other web browsers may not support all of its functionality.
• If you are using Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher and the application does not appear to work as expected, please check your browser options.
• Planning Online uses pop-up windows to provide help and results. Windows XP service pack 2 has added a pop-up blocker tool to Internet Explorer. You will need to adjust your default pop-up settings to use the full functionality of Planning Online (see Tools - Internet Options - Privacy).

Please note that file sizes can be large and may take a while to download.

Problems or queries?

If you experience problems using Planning Online or have any queries about the information shown on the site, please contact us with details, and we will do our best to help you.

Email: development.management@bristol.gov.uk.
Telephone: 0117 922 3000.