Planning decisions are made by B&NES, the parish council is a statutory consultee empowered to comment on individual applications. We make our decisions based upon a number of factors including compatibility with our parish residential & commercial planning policies & representations received from interested parties.
The parish council are not able to give advice on planning applications, but do welcome your views, which can be expressed at the open surgery from 7.15pm before our monthly meetings, directly to the clerk or individual councillors.
Please note that the links on this page take you to the B&NES website, which is out of our control. Where possible, we have linked to the relevant page for the parish, however some links may take you to a more general page where you may need to select Stowey Sutton as the parish.
View and comment on current applications in B&NES
View a weekly list of new planning applications or decisions (note that these are not specific to the Parish)
Advice on submitting comments
Note that comments are submitted to B&NES, not this website.
- If you would like to make a representation on a current planning application, please include your name and address (including postcode).
- You cannot comment on a Discharge of Condition request or Non-Material Amendment (reference numbers ending COND and NMA).
- Please note your comments will be viewable on the website as forming part of the available application documentation.
- Due to the volume of correspondence received on applications, B&NES say it is not possible to acknowledge or respond to comments.
Addresses in the online database of applications
The addresses in the database are from the Local Land & Property Gazetteer which conforms to British Standard BS7666 and may differ from your postal address. It is the responsibility of the owner to inform the council's street naming and numbering officer about any change to the address of a property.
The District Council’s Local Plan sets out how land in the area will be used and developed over the next 15–20 years. It guides where new homes, businesses, and facilities can be built, and which areas should be protected, such as green spaces and historic sites.
For residents, the Local Plan is important because it directly affects what gets built near their homes and how their community will change. It helps ensure that new development is planned properly and comes with the necessary infrastructure, such as roads, schools, healthcare, and public services.
The Local Plan also gives residents a chance to have their say. During its preparation, the council must consult the public, allowing communities to comment on proposals and influence long-term decisions before individual planning applications are submitted.
If a council does not have an up-to-date Local Plan, it has much less control over development. National planning rules take priority, and developers are more likely to succeed with applications and appeals. This can lead to unplanned or poorly located development, greater pressure on services, and reduced protection for valued local areas.
In summary, a strong and up-to-date Local Plan helps balance growth with protection, gives communities a voice in shaping their future, and provides clarity and fairness in planning decisions.
B&NES publish all information regarding their local plan on their website: The Local Plan | Bath and North East Somerset Council
Stowey Sutton Parish Council responses and relevant information can be found here: B&NES Local Plan - relevant to Bishop Sutton & Stowey
