Privacy Policy
# Privacy Policy
**Last Updated:** [Date, e.g., August 2026]
[Company Name] ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or engage our landscape architecture and design services.
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### 1. Who We Are (Data Controller)
[Company Name] is a landscape architecture practice based in Worthing, West Sussex, UK.
For the purpose of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, [Company Name] is the data controller responsible for your personal data.
* **Business Name:** [Company Name]
* **Registered Office / Address:** [Office Address], Worthing, West Sussex, [Postcode], UK
* **Email Contact:** [email@example.com]
* **Telephone:** [01903 XXXXXX]
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### 2. Information We Collect
We may collect, use, store, and transfer different kinds of personal data depending on your interaction with us:
* **Identity & Contact Data:** Name, email address, telephone number, job title, and postal address (e.g., project site location).
* **Project & Enquiry Data:** Architectural plans, site details, budgetary information, and correspondence sent through contact forms or email.
* **Technical & Usage Data:** IP address, browser type, operating system, time zone setting, and website usage statistics collected automatically via cookies (see Section 7).
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### 3. How We Use Your Data & Legal Basis
We process your personal information only when we have a lawful basis to do so:
| Purpose / Activity | Type of Data | Lawful Basis for Processing |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| To respond to initial sales, design, or project enquiries | Identity, Contact, Enquiry | **Legitimate Interests** (to respond to prospective client requests) |
| To fulfill landscape design, planning, or consultancy contracts | Identity, Contact, Project Data | **Performance of a Contract** |
| To manage payments, billing, and accounting records | Identity, Financial, Transaction | **Legal Obligation** & Contractual Performance |
| To send project updates or relevant firm updates (if opted-in) | Identity, Contact | **Consent** |
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### 4. Data Sharing & Third Parties
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share data with trusted third parties strictly necessary for business operations:
* Sub-contractors, structural engineers, or planning consultants involved in your project (with your prior agreement).
* Professional advisors, including accountants, lawyers, and insurers.
* IT and cloud hosting service providers (e.g., website hosts, email servers) operating under strict data processor agreements.
* Public authorities, such as local planning authorities (e.g., Worthing Borough Council / South Downs National Park Authority), where required for planning applications.
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### 5. Data Retention
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Project files and architectural drawings may be retained for up to 12 years to cover professional liability periods.
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### 6. Your Legal Rights
Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:
* **Access:** Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
* **Rectification:** Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
* **Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"):** Request deletion of your personal data where there is no good reason for us continuing to process it.
* **Restriction or Objection:** Object to or restrict the processing of your data in certain circumstances.
* **Data Portability:** Request transfer of your data to another party.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at **[email@example.com]**.
If you believe we have not handled your data in accordance with the law, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the **Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)**, the UK regulator for data protection issues ([www.ico.org.uk](https://www.ico.org.uk)). We would, however, appreciate the chance to address your concerns directly before you approach the ICO.
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### 7. Cookies
Our website uses standard cookies to ensure functionality and improve user experience. You can set your browser to refuse or disable all or some browser cookies. For detailed information on the cookies we use, please see our [Cookie Policy / banner settings].