PLANNING APPEALS
The Appeals System
If you think we have made the wrong decision on your application, or if you have not been given a decision within 8 weeks, you can ask the Secretary of State to consider your case.
The Inspector will consider the proposal from scratch, looking at the same matters as the Council. It is the Inspector’s job to ensure that all relevant matters have been properly taken into account.
When can I appeal?
You can appeal to the Secretary of State if the Council has:
- refused your application for planning permission
- given permission but with conditions which you feel are unreasonable
- refused to approve the details of a scheme which has already been given outline permission
- approved the details of such a scheme but with conditions which you feel are unreasonable
- refused your proposal to meet a condition
- taken longer than 8 weeks to decide your application and have not told you that your application is being rejected because it is repetitive
The Planning Inspectorate must receive your appeal within 6 months of the date of the Council’s decision. If there was no decision, you must send your appeal to arrive within 6 months of the end of the period when the decision should have been sent. In the case of advertisements, or works to protected trees, this time limit is reduced to 8 weeks.
You can get the forms from the Inspectorate’s Office at the address below, or download them from the Planning Inspectorate web site.
THE PLANNING INSPECTORATE
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Temple Square
BRISTOL
BS1 6PN
We will notify those likely to be affected by the development, all those who commented on the original proposal and all other interested parties.
How will my appeal be handled?
Four out of five appeals are dealt with by written representations. Your appeal is decided on the basis of written statements from you, the Council and any other third party interests. The Inspector will visit the site.
If you or the Council wish to be heard by an Inspector, a Public Local Inquiry or an Informal Hearing will take place. A hearing is more relaxed and usually involves an open discussion led by the Inspector following written submissions. A Public Local Inquiry involves legal procedural rules, but you have the right to speak directly to the Inspector and challenge the evidence put forward by the Council. The Inspector will visit the site.
The Appeal Decision
The decision will describe the proposals, identify the important planning issues and examine the main arguments for and against the proposal. It will then explain why the Inspector has reached the decision.
Further Information
Further information about the Appeals process can be found on the Planning Inspectorate web site.
You can also click on one of the links below for more information about the Planning Appeals Process from the Planning Portal:
Appeals guidance for General Public users
Appeals guidance for Professional users
The Planning Portal website also provides access to make appeal applications online. This enables your appeal to be submitted electronically to the Planning Inspectorate, however you are still required to forward a hard copy of the appeal to the local authority.
To make an appeal online for General Public users
To make an appeal online for Professional users