Residents can find out about planning applications, road closures, licensing proposals and other changes in their communities using a free online public notice service.

Public notices are official announcements used to inform communities about proposals, decisions and changes which could affect people living or working in an area.

They can provide advance warning of everything from a proposed housing development or new alcohol licence to road closures and changes to parking restrictions.

What are public notices?

Public notices are published by or on behalf of councils, local authorities, businesses and individuals when certain proposals, applications or decisions need to be brought to the public's attention.

Depending on the type of notice, members of the public may also be able to submit comments, representations or objections before a specified deadline.

Notices continue to be published through local newspapers, while they can also be searched online using the Public Notice Portal.

What can you find out?

The Public Notice Portal brings together notices covering a wide range of subjects which could affect communities.

They include:

Planning – applications for new developments, extensions, changes of use and other building projects.
Traffic and roads – temporary road closures, diversions, parking restrictions and changes to speed limits.
Alcohol and licensing – applications from pubs, restaurants, shops and other premises seeking permission to sell alcohol or carry out other licensable activities.
Goods vehicle licensing – applications involving operating centres and licences for goods vehicles.
Probate and trustee notices – announcements relating to estates, creditors and other legal matters.
Contracts and tenders – notices relating to procurement and opportunities to provide goods or services.
Statutory notices – other official announcements required to be made public.
Other discretionary notices – additional announcements which businesses, organisations or individuals choose to publish.

How can I find public notices near me?

The Public Notice Portal is free to use and allows people to search for notices by location and category.

Searching by postcode can help residents identify notices particularly close to their home or workplace.

People can also register for email alerts, with options to receive updates daily, weekly or monthly.

This means residents can keep track of new notices without having to repeatedly search for changes themselves.

Why do public notices matter?

Public notices provide communities with information about decisions and proposals which could affect their everyday lives.

For example, someone could discover plans for a development near their home, check whether roadworks could disrupt a regular journey or find an application for a new premises licence in their neighbourhood.

Where comments or objections are invited, the notice will normally explain how they can be submitted and provide a deadline.

The portal contains notices submitted by registered local news publishers on behalf of councils, businesses, solicitors and others required to make announcements.

Nearly 14,000 live notices can be displayed on the portal at any given time, covering communities across the country.

To search for public notices in your area, visit the Public Notice Portal.