Privacy Policy

Last Updated: January 1st, 2025 

At Planning Elephant, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring your personal data is handled responsibly. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you visit our website (planning-elephant.co.uk) or use our services. 

 1. Who We Are Planning Elephant is a UK-based company providing planning and building regulation services. We act as the data controller for the personal data we process. You can contact us at:Email: info@planning-elephant.co.uk 

 2. Information we may collect and process the following types of data:  

• Personal Information: When you contact us, request a quote, or schedule a site visit, we may collect your name, email address, phone number, and address.  
• Website Usage Data: We use Google Analytics to collect anonymized data about your visit, such as your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and time spent on our site. This helps us improve our website and services.  
• Cookies: We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience. These may include essential cookies for site functionality and analytics cookies (via Google Analytics) to track usage. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings.

3. How We Use Your InformationWe use your data for the following purposes:  

• To respond to inquiries, provide quotes, and schedule site visits.  
• To manage and deliver our planning and building regulation services, including communication with local surveyors.  
• To analyze website usage through Google Analytics, helping us improve user experience and site performance.  
• To comply with legal obligations, such as record-keeping for UK GDPR compliance.

4. Legal Basis for ProcessingWe process your data under the following legal bases:  

• Consent: When you provide your details via our contact forms or agree to cookies.  
• Contractual Necessity: To fulfill services you’ve requested, such as processing a planning permission application.  
• Legitimate Interests: For Google Analytics usage data to improve our website, provided this does not override your rights.  
• Legal Obligation: To comply with UK data protection laws.

5. Sharing Your InformationWe may share your data with:  

• Local surveyors to facilitate site visits and service delivery.  
• Google Analytics for website performance tracking (data is anonymized and processed per Google’s privacy policies).  
• Regulatory authorities, if required by law.

We do not sell or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes.  6. Data Retention

• Personal information (e.g., name, email) is retained for as long as necessary to fulfill your request or service, typically up to 6 years to comply with legal and tax obligations.  
• Google Analytics data is retained for 26 months before being automatically deleted by Google.

7. Your RightsUnder UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your data:  

• Access: Request a copy of the data we hold about you.  
• Rectification: Ask us to correct inaccurate information.  
• Erasure: Request deletion of your data (where applicable).  
• Restriction: Limit how we use your data.  
• Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests (e.g., analytics).  
• Data Portability: Request your data in a transferable format.

To exercise these rights, contact us at info@planning-elephant.co.uk. We’ll respond within one month. 

8. Cookies and Google AnalyticsWe use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our website. This involves cookies that collect anonymized data, such as pages visited and time on site. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On or adjusting your cookie settings. For more details, see Google’s Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.  

9. Data SecurityWe implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data, including secure servers, encryption, and restricted access to personal information. However, no online transmission is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.  

10. Third-Party LinksOur website may contain links to third-party sites (e.g., Google Analytics). We are not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before sharing information.  

11. ComplaintsIf you’re unhappy with how we handle your data, please contact us at info@planning-elephant.co.uk. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):  

• Website: www.ico.org.uk 
• Phone: 0303 123 1113

12. Changes to This PolicyWe may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Updates will be posted on this page with the revised date.  13. Contact UsFor any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please reach out:
Email: info@planning-elephant.co.uk  Notes:

• The policy is compliant with UK GDPR and includes specific references to Google Analytics usage.  
• It uses the provided email (info@planning-elephant.co.uk) for contact.  
• The tone is professional yet accessible, ensuring transparency for users.

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