How are planning appeals submitted?
Planning appeals are submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, a government organisation tasked with overseeing the planning appeals process. Each planning appeal will need to be submitted with an application form, the plans and documents submitted with the application, and a planning appeal statement (often termed a statement of case).
How to write a planning appeal statement
In the case of a refused planning application, the appeal statement needs to address the reasons for refusal. It should outline why the refused planning application is acceptable and reference national and local planning policy referred to in the reasons for refusal. Planning case law may also need to be referenced (planning case law arises when planning application decisions or planning appeal decisions are challenged in the High Court or Court of Appeal).
How much does it cost to appeal a planning decision?
There is no fee to pay when appealing a planning decision. You will probably need to pay for advice from a qualified planning consultant. Typically, planning consultants charge between £500 and £1500 to prepare and submit a planning appeal. Larger proposals that involve complex reasons for refusals are more costly to appeal.
How long does a planning appeal take?
Householder planning appeals usually take between 3 and 4 months; however, most other planning appeals take about 6 months. Some appeals involving more complex reasons for refusal can take a lot longer.
What does it mean when a planning appeal is dismissed?
A dissmissed planning appeal is where the Planning Inspector has decided that permission should not be granted. A dismissed appeal is the opposite of an allowed appeal (an allowed appeal is when permission is granted). In the case of an appeal against a planning application refused on multiple grounds, some of the reasons for refusal may not be upheld. Only one of the reasons for refusal needs to be upheld for an appeal to be dismissed.
What happens if your planning appeal is refused?
If your planning appeal is refused, you have the right to challenge the decision in the High Court. This isn't recommended (unless there has been a clear departure from planning law) as High Court challenges are expensive and rarely successful. Dismissed appeal decisions provide clear guidance on why a proposal isn't acceptable, so the best approach is to understand these issues and submit an amended proposal to overcome the shortcomings of the original application.
Our Services
We can prepare and submit a planning appeal on your behalf. Additionally, we can assess a dismissed appeal and provide guidance on the best approach to addressing the issues raised.
Please get in contact if you have any questions.