Appeal costs awards

You and the LPA normally have to meet your own appeal expenses, whether The Planning Inspectorate decide it by the written procedure, a hearing or an inquiry.

You can ask the Secretary of State or the Inspector to order the LPA to pay all or some of your costs. The LPA can also ask for you to pay some or all of their costs.

The Secretary of State or the Inspector will only do this if the person applying can show that the other side behaved unreasonably, and put them to unnecessary or wasted expense.

If your appeal is by the written procedure you should say why you think costs should be awarded to you before the Inspector visits the site. If The Planning Inspectorate decide your appeal by a hearing or an inquiry, you should state your case for a costs award before the hearing or inquiry closes.

The Planning Inspectorate will send you their separate guide 'Costs awards in planning appeals' (or see the related links). It is important that you read this guide because it explains how, when and on what basis you can make an application or have an application made against you.