It includes online checking of your form to make sure you have not missed any essential parts. This minimises the possibility of delays once your comments are submitted.

You will also get an online receipt so you know that your comments have been received.

Using the Planning Casework Service you can:

Search for cases
View the location of one or more cases on a map
View selected details about individual cases
Track the progress of a case
Access published documents for individual cases to see the evidence
Submit comments online
Save a copy of what you submit

Interested? Read on for answers to the most frequently asked questions…..

What information is available online (what is published)?
Summary details of the case are published. You will be able to see copies of all the documents submitted in evidence by the appellant and the local authority, and the comments made by anyone else who writes to the Planning Inspectorate as part of the appeal process. At the end of the process, you will be able to see the decision on the case.

When does evidence get published?
Evidence will only get published once it has been accepted as valid by the Planning Inspectorate, and the associated appeal deadline has passed.

How do I use the Case Search facility to find a case on the system?
Go to www.planningportal.gov.uk/pcs and click on ‘Planning Casework Service’ in the navigation box on the left of the screen. This screen contains a link to the Case Search facility. Click on the link. In the Case Search screen, enter your search criteria in one or more of the available fields, and then click on ‘Search for cases’.

Who can submit comments or required documents?
Anyone interested in the appeal can make comments or submit documents that are required by the Planning Inspectorate, provided that they do so in accordance within the comments deadline displayed against the case.

How do I comment on someone else’s appeal?
The ability to comment on a case can be found on the PCS Documents page. To get to it, you will need to:

Use the Case Search to find the appeal you are interested in.
From the Search Results list, click on the Case reference.
From the Case Summary, click on the link under the ‘Documents’ heading.

This will take you to the Documents page. All the published evidence will be listed there, and you can access a document by clicking on it. There is also a link to the facility to Comment on this case.

Are there any technical limits to what I can submit as attachments online?
Yes – we do a number of checks on any files that you attach to an appeal or other submission. We will check:

the file type: we do not accept all file types. The main ones that are acceptable are .DOC, .TIF, .JPG and .PDF
the file size: we will reject files that are 0 bytes or larger than 1Mb*
whether the file uploads correctly
whether it is infected by a virus.

If we find any attachments that fail these checks, a message will be displayed on screen to tell you.

* If your attachment is larger than 1Mb, you can send it to us by e-mail instead. Those for Access Restrictions appeals should be sent to access@pins.gsi.gov.uk and for all other appeal types to enquiries@pins.gsi.gov.uk.

How do I know whether my comment or representation has been received when I submit it online?
You will get an on-screen receipt to tell you that we have received the submission, and you will also get the opportunity to save a copy of the completed form.

How do I know whether my comment or representation has been accepted when I submit it online?
The validity of the comment or representation submitted through the online facility will be checked by staff at the Planning Inspectorate. Our staff will write to you to let you know if it has been accepted – either by e-mail or by post according to your choice.

If I make my comments online, will they be treated any differently?
The process is the same whether your comments are made online or on paper.

Will my comments be published?
Yes, but we will check to ensure that they are not libellous and have been received within the comments deadline first.

You can find more information on the Planning Casework Service at www.planningportal.gov.uk/pcs or by contacting us:

Planning Casework Service
3/12 Eagle Wing
Temple Quay House
Temple Quay
Bristol
BS1 6PN
Tel: 0117 372 8418
Fax: 0117 372 8406
Email: pcs@pins.gsi.gov.uk

The Planning Casework Service - helping to deliver a simpler, more efficient and accessible appeal system.

The Planning Casework Service is provided by The Planning Inspectorate.