Privacy Policy for Clients


From the 25th May 2018 the General Data Protection Regulation (or GDPR) will bring considerable changes to data privacy law in the UK and across the EU.

The primary purpose of the GDPR is to ensure companies only use your personal data for genuine and essential use and that, unless you have given them permission, they are not using it for marketing purposes.

Who is collecting and using your personal/project data?

Woodward Smith Chartered Architects LLP (6 Tuly St, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 1LG Company Number OC403809) will act as a ‘data controller’ for any personal data that you provide to us. As such, we will ensure that the data you give us is processed in line with our organisation’s data protection policies and in line with your rights under the Data Protection Act 2017 and the EU General Data Protection Regulations.

What kind of data may we hold about you?

Personal data means any information about an individual from which that person can be identified.

We will need to collect your contact details such as name, address(es), telephone numbers(s), email address(es). This information is collected when you make an enquiry to us either by telephone, e-mail/letter or by coming to the office personally.

Project data means any information about a project required for the purposes of performing and delivering the services for which you have engaged us. This will include, but may not be limited to, company details, land ownership matters and financial matters relating directly to your project/instruction.

If you use our website, we automatically collect technical information such as your internet protocol(IP) address. This information is not personally identifiable, and the use of Google Analytics is purely to help us evaluate site activity and improve our functionality. (We will not obtain or store personally identifiable information about you from our website.)

Why are we collecting your personal data?

We are collecting your personal and project data to be able to carry out the architectural services that you have enquired about or contracted us to do. We do not use your data for any marketing activity.

How will we use your personal data?

Data protection laws require that the personal data that we collect about you must be:

·         Used lawfully, fairly and in a transparent way;

·         Collected only for valid purposes that we have clearly explained to you and not used in a way that is incompatible with those purposes;

·         Relevant to the purposes we have told you about and limited only to those purposes;

·         Accurate and kept up to date;

·         Kept secure and confidential;

·         Kept only for as long as necessary for the purposes we have told you about.

On rare occasions we may also use your data where we need to protect your interests or where it is needed in the public interest, for example the investigation, detection and prevention of crime.

To administer your contract and comply with our legal obligations we will send you communications in respect of the services that we are providing for you. On rare occasions we may contact you to invite you to an event that we may hold such as an open day or stand at a show.

Who will we share your personal data with?

To deliver services to you, it may be necessary for us to share elements of your data with the Planning and Building Control Authorities along with other third-party consultants who may be involved in the planning process i.e. engineers; ecologists; planning consultants; legal advisers etc. Our accountants and IT support providers will also have access to or receive information regarding your client account. They will only process your personal data on our instructions and are subject to a duty of confidentiality.

You should be aware that once a planning application has been submitted to the planning authority, as an open democratic process, some of your data will be visible to the general public via its publication on the local planning authority’s planning portal and via it’s distribution to your Parish Council.

How do we ensure the security of your data?

The information that you provide to us is stored digitally on our server and on hardcopy paper files. We have put in place appropriate security measures to prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, disclosed, used or accessed in an unauthorised way, or altered.

How long will we hold your data?

Depending on the level of service that you require from us, we are legally required to archive your records for up to 12 years. As well as this we are required to keep accountancy records for HMRC for 7 years.

Exercising your rights

Under the Data Protection Act 2017 and the EU General Data Protection Regulations you have the following rights:

  • The right of access to your own personal data.
  • The right to request rectification or deletion of your personal data.
  • The right to object to the processing of your personal data.
  • The right to request a copy of the information you provide us in machine-readable format.
  • The right to withdraw your consent to any processing that is solely reliant upon your consent.

Should you wish to exercise any of your rights, you should contact the Practice Manager

Your right to complain

In the event that you wish to complain about the way that your personal data has been handled by Woodward Smith Chartered Architects LLP, you should write to the Practice Manager and clearly outline your case. Your complaint will then be investigated in accordance with our Customer Complaints Procedure. If you remain dissatisfied with the way your personal data has been handled, you may refer the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office whose contact details are below:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Email: casework@ico.org.uk






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