Overview

Your local planning authority (LPA) makes decisions on planning applications.

You can appeal a planning decision if any of the following apply:

  • you were refused planning permission for reasons that you think go against the LPA’s development plan or planning policy (you can usually find these on their website)
  • you were granted planning permission with conditions you object to - you’ll need to explain why you think they’re unnecessary, unenforceable, vague, unreasonable or irrelevant
  • the LPA has not given you a decision on your application and 8 weeks have passed since the date they told you they’d received it (or a different deadline you agreed with them has passed)

For major projects, you can only appeal if 13 weeks have passed. Examples of a major project include a development with 10 or more dwellings, or a building with floor space of more than 1,000 square metres.

Use the appeal a householder planning decision service if you want to appeal a refused application for a smaller project, like an extension, conservatory or loft conversion.

You can also appeal a listed building consent decision.

Who can appeal

You can appeal a decision for an application you made yourself, or appeal on behalf of someone else. You’ll be asked to provide the planning application number and decision date.

You can also comment on an appeal.

Applying for costs

You can apply for an ‘award of costs’ if you believe the LPA has cost you money by behaving unreasonably. For example if you think their behaviour has caused you to miss a deadline.

The LPA can also apply to get costs from you.