Privacy policy

Data controller

Bannermedia Ltd, a UK company, is the data controller for Plotbeacon.

Planning-register data

Plotbeacon processes planning-application data published on public registers by local planning authorities. This is not personal data volunteered by users, although it can incidentally include applicant or agent names published by a council.

Planning alert signups

When you sign up for alerts, we store your email address, the postcode you entered, the area it covers, your alert distance and the size of change you want to hear about.

We also store whether you have confirmed your email address, whether email alerts are on, a record of the alerts we have sent you, and timestamps for when these were created or changed.

We use this only to send you planning alerts for your area. We do not sell it or use it for marketing.

How to unsubscribe

Use the unsubscribe link in every alert email. It stops email alerts at once. To have your details deleted straight away, email hello@plotbeacon.com.

Email delivery

We send emails through Brevo, an email provider run by Brevo SAS in France. Brevo processes your email address only to deliver our emails, under a contract with us.

Site visitor data

Plotbeacon uses essential cookies only and no third-party tracking. We collect only the information needed to operate and secure the site, including server logs.

We count visits with Umami, which we run on our own servers (self-hosted). It sets no cookies and does not store your IP address. It records the page path without its query string or fragment.

It records the referring site and page, without query strings or fragments. It also records the page title, screen size, language and our site address. We see your browser, device type and country.

We do not run analytics on confirmation or unsubscribe pages, because their links carry a private code.

Purpose and lawful basis

We republish and analyse public-register data to provide the service. Our lawful basis is legitimate interests.

For planning alerts, our lawful basis is your consent to send you alerts. You can withdraw it at any time by unsubscribing.

For server logs, our lawful basis is our legitimate interests in keeping the site secure and working.

Retention

We retain public-register data while it is needed to provide Plotbeacon, then review it against the source register and our operational needs. Server logs are deleted within 30 days.

We keep your alert signup while your alerts are active. If you unsubscribe from all your alert areas, we delete your email address and alert areas 30 days later. If you never confirm your email address, we delete the signup 30 days after we first try to send the confirmation email.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you may ask for access to your personal data, rectification (fixing wrong details), erasure or restriction (pausing how we use your data). You may also object to processing (ask us to stop using it).

To use any of these rights, email hello@plotbeacon.com. We reply within one month.

Complaints and contact

You may complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk. For privacy queries, email hello@plotbeacon.com.