You have the right to appeal to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if you feel that your application has been unreasonably refused.
You can also appeal if you disagree with conditions placed on the approval or if the application has not been decided within the requisite time period.
The appeal process is administered by the Planning Inspectorate and details of the procedures are available on the Planning Portal - appeals page.
The online appeal process is simple and easy to use; saving time, postage and printing costs. The appeal process for applications from householders is different and is outlined below.
Appeals must be made within :
- 12 weeks for householder applications
- 8 weeks for advertisement consent
- 28 days for Tree Preservation Orders and appeal against an enforcement notice and
- 6 months for other types of applications from the date on the decision notice (with the exception of certificates of lawfulness for which there is currently no time limit)
Only the person who made the application for planning permission can appeal.
The Planning Portal has an online search facilitywhich enables you to find any appeal in England which has been submitted and accepted as valid, within approximately the last 5 years.
You can view details of appeals submitted and decided within the Blackpool area using our online planning system.
For information on how to comment on an appeal that is still undecided please visit the Planning Portal appeal pages.
Householder appeals service
The Planning Inspectorate run a householder appeals service. More information and details of how to appeal can be found on the Planning Portal: householder appeals service pages.
If your application is refused, you can lodge an appeal within 12 weeks of the date of the refusal. Only the person who made the application for planning permission can appeal.
The following appeals will not be within the scope of the householder appeal service:
- Appeals against any grant of planning permission, consent, agreement or approval which is granted subject to conditions
- Appeals against a local planning authority’s failure to determine a householder application (i.e. non-determination appeals)
- Appeals against listed building consent applications or conservation area consent applications
Taking part in a planning appeal
Planning appeals are dealt with in 3 different ways:
- Written representations - This is where the appellant and the council each put their case in the form of a written statement. An inspector considers the written evidence and visits the site before giving a decision. This is the most common way in which appeals are decided
- Local hearings - This method of dealing with appeals is less formal than the public inquiry. It dispenses with the legal representation and allows each side to put their case to the inspector in person. The inspector will then visit the site before making a decision
- Public inquiries - At a public inquiry, each side is usually legally represented and the case is put verbally to the inspector, with the right to cross examine the evidence of witnesses. The inspector can also question each side to clarify evidence. The inspector will then visit the site before making a decision