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Step 3: Search Applications — Digital Planning Register Walkthrough

Search for planning applications and explore application details

Walkthrough progress

Step 3 of 4 • 3 minutes

Step 3 3 minutes

Search Planning Applications

Search for planning applications within a council and explore the details of individual applications.

The council page shows search, filters, and recently published applications
Application detail shows the full planning history including map, decisions, progress, documents, and comments

Expected outcome

  • Search returns a list of planning applications
  • Application detail pages show address, description, and status
  • Map views show application locations where available

Searching and browsing applications

  1. Use the search

    From a council page, use the search to find planning applications. You can search by:

    • Address or location — street name, postcode, or area
    • Reference number — the BOPS application reference
    • Description — keywords from the proposal description
  2. Browse application results

    Search results show a summary of each application:

    • Reference number and application type
    • Site address
    • Description of the proposed development
    • Status — current stage in the planning process
    • Decision — outcome if determined
  3. Open an application

    Click on any application to see its full details. The detail page includes:

    • Site boundary map — showing the application location with boundary
    • Application timeline — key dates from submission to decision
    • Documents — plans, drawings, and supporting documents
    • Consultation details — public comment periods and responses
  4. Check the map view

    Where Ordnance Survey map data is available, applications are plotted on an interactive map showing:

    • Pin locations for each application
    • Red line site boundary polygons
    • Surrounding area context
This is what residents see: The register is designed for non-technical users. The GOV.UK Design System ensures consistent, accessible patterns that meet WCAG 2.2 AA standards. Every interaction has been designed and tested with real users.

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