Appeal a decision

You can appeal a decision made by a local authority on a planning application if you disagree with it or if the application wasn't determined within eight weeks (for a typical householder development) or 13 weeks (for major developments) or an alternative agreed deadline.

The applicant of any type of planning application is usually entitled to appeal the decision of the local planning authority (LPA).

This is usually where an application is refused by the LPA, but there are also other rights of appeal in respect of other matters, for example appealing against a condition attached to a planning permission.

However, there are no third party rights of appeal - so if you have objected to a planning application and it is approved by the LPA then you cannot appeal that decision.

Only applicants or their appointed agents can appeal.

Please note, if planning permission is refused for householder or minor commercial development, any representations made about this application will be sent to the Secretary of State, and there will be no further opportunity to comment at the appeal stage.

Appeals are managed and determined by the Planning Inspectorate. The Planning Inspectorate is an independent government body sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

The appeal process lets the Planning Inspectorate consider all the material planning considerations that are relevant to the case, from all parties, including the LPA, the applicant and those who might have made representations on the application.

There is a strict process and timeframe for the submission and processing of appeals.

You can find out whether an appeal has been submitted in respect of any particular planning application by visiting the planning pages of the LPA's website, or you can visit the Planning Inspectorate's Appeals Casework Portal to find out about the status of an appeal.

For detailed information on planning appeals please visit the Planning Inspectorate appeal pages.