A free online tool is helping Devon residents keep track of changes in their area. The Public Notice Portal lets people search for official announcements about new developments, road closures, and other matters that could affect daily life.
Councils, local authorities, businesses, and individuals post the notices. They act as a legal safeguard, giving the public the chance to respond before decisions are finalised.
Users can search by postcode, category, or local authority. They can also sign up for email alerts, choosing daily, weekly, or monthly updates.
Public notices still appear in local newspapers, including the Exmouth Journal, in print and online. The portal, with local news publishers such as Newsquest uploading notices, shows nearly 14,000 live notices at any given time.
The aim is to keep local decision-making transparent and accountable, and to let communities engage with proposals that might otherwise go unnoticed. These can range from a housing development to a change in licensing. Without the notices, decisions would be made without input from the people most affected.
The Public Notice Portal, which can be viewed at publicnoticeportal.uk, organises notices into eight categories. These include planning applications for new buildings, extensions, and changes of use. For example, if a developer plans new homes in Budleigh Salterton, residents can search by postcode to find the application and submit comments before the deadline.
The portal also covers traffic and road notices, such as closures, diversions, parking changes, and speed limit alterations. Someone planning a trip to Exmouth could check for planned closures or diversions on the M5 before setting off.
Alcohol and licensing notices cover applications by pubs, restaurants, shops, and event organisers to sell alcohol or hold licensable events. If a new venue in Exeter applies for a licence, residents can find the notice and raise concerns with the licensing authority within the stated timeframe.
Other categories include goods vehicle licensing, probate and trustee, contract and tender, statutory notices, and other discretionary notices. The portal therefore serves as a single, reliable destination for official public announcements.
Public Notice Portal Helps Devon Residents Track Local Changes