General guidelines

None of the search fields are case sensitive. For example, 'South Street' and 'SOUTH STREET' will return the same results.
Do not include wildcard characters such as '*','?' or '%'; the system does not recognise them and a search which incorporates these characters will return no data. However, you can shorten the length of your search text, provided that it still retains a precise match with the equivalent characters in the field you are searching. For example, 'South' and 'South S' will still return 'South Street', but 'S Street' will not.

Search by development address

If you wish to locate an application by the address of the proposed development then there are 5 fields available for you to refine your search. However, you do not have to use all of these fields and for the most effective results it is recommended that you use no more than 2 in any one search. Because of the way in which addresses are stored, too much information in these fields is likely to introduce a mismatch and return no data. Filling in fewer fields will probably return more than one match, but there is a greater chance that these will include the application you are looking for. If you are searching by using 4 or 5 of the available fields and getting no data returned then try broadening your search by leaving more fields blank. For example, just try searching on 'Property Number' and 'Street Name'. Or, if you know the name of the applicant, trying using one field in the development address and enter the applicant's name.

Search by applicant's and/or agent's details

If you know the applicant's surname then this can provide an effective way of refining your search, particularly if you combine it with a field from the development address.

Some surnames are quite common and will return a significant number of applications if applied to the whole of an authority's application data, but if you limit your search of a particular surname to just one 'Street Name' then you are likely to identify a specific proposal very quickly.

Search by date

Restricting the date ranges of a search can be another very effective way of locating a particular application. Dates can be entered using the drop-down lists. An example of the format is '31 January 2003'.

The 'Application Registered Date' and range refers to the date that the relevant authority would have received the application you are interested in. The 'Decision Notice Date' and range refers to the date that the relevant authority would have made a decision on the application you are interested in.

For example, if you know that an application was received in one particular year then set 'From' to 01 January of that year and 'To' to 31 December for that year. This is particularly effective if combined with another search field i.e. 'Applicant's Surname' or 'Street Name'.

If you know that the application you are looking for has already been determined and you know approximately the date on which the decision was made then you can refine your search by restricting it to applications determined between specific dates.

However, please remember that for an application to be classed as determined then it must either be subject to a formal decision notice or it must have been withdrawn. For example, a committee resolution alone does not qualify as a decision.