Despite the hard work and preparation put into your planning application, sometimes you don’t get the answer you’re looking.
Your local authority will provide reasons for the rejection of the planning application. These reasons can include factors like:
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Non-compliance with local planning policies:
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Environmental concerns
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Design and aesthetics
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Traffic and parking issues
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Inadequate consultation or procedure, such as such as not notifying neighbours or interested parties
But it’s not the end of the road! There are several options, depending on the circumstances of course, that can be taken following a planning rejection.
If your planning application is rejected, you have several options:
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Appeal the Decision
You can challenge the decision by appealing to the Planning Inspectorate. The appeal process typically takes several months and you must usually appeal within 12 weeks of the decision The inspector will review the reasons for refusal, possibly conduct a site visit, and then make a final determination. The appeal could result in a reversed decision with or without conditions, or it might uphold the rejection. -
Modify and Resubmit
After a rejection, you can choose to modify your application to address the concerns raised by the planning authority. This could involve changing aspects of the design, reducing the size of the development, or providing more detailed information about traffic and environmental impacts. You can then resubmit a revised application, which could have a better chance of approval. -
Seek Pre-Application Advice
Before reapplying, it may be worth seeking pre-application advice from the local council. This will allow you to understand the key issues that led to the rejection and get guidance on how to improve the application for the next submission. -
Request a ‘Review’
Some councils offer the option for a formal review or reconsideration of a planning decision. If you believe there has been an error in the process or the application was unfairly assessed, this can be another route, though it’s not as common as an appeal.
A rejection does not permanently prevent you from applying again, but multiple rejections could make it more difficult for the application to succeed if the reasons for rejection aren’t addressed effectively.
The council may also consider your history of rejected applications when reviewing future proposals, so it’s crucial to address any reasons for refusal comprehensively before reapplying.
Timeframe: The appeal process generally takes around 16-20 weeks, but this can vary based on the complexity of the case as well as any backlog.
