Changes to the appeal procedure from 6 April
2009
On the 6 April 2009 the Government is introducing some changes
in how planning appeals are currently dealt with. In future,
appeals on refused householder* applications will be dealt with
differently. The Planning Inspectorate has shortened the process to
enable an appeal decision to be reached much quicker. However, to
enable this to happen they have had to change the way that these
appeals are dealt with.
This will mean that for appeals submitted against the refusal of
permission of house extension or other householder works, there is
no longer an opportunity to comment at the appeal stage. All
comments made to the council on the planning application will be
taken into account by the appeal Inspector but no further comments
will be allowed from either the applicant, the council or any
neighbours.
Other changes include the power for the Inspectorate to decide
which method of appeal will be used; a requirement for local
planning authorities to deal with householder appeals on
line; the introduction of unaccompanied site visits by Inspectors
for householder appeals; and the extension of the power for
Inspectors to award costs to written representation appeals.
More detailed information relating to these changes can be found
by visiting the websites for
Planning
Inspectorate and the
Planning Portal.
* Householder developments are defined as those within the
curtilage of a house (or a single flat) that require an application
for planning permission and are not a change of use.
Included in householder developments are
extensions, conservatories, loft conversions, dormer windows,
alterations, garages, car ports or outbuildings, swimming pools,
walls, fences, domestic vehicular accesses including footway
crossovers, porches and satellite dishes.
Excluded from householder developments are
applications relating to any work to two or more flats,
applications to change the number of dwellings (flat conversions,
building a separate house in the garden), changes of use to part or
all of the property to non-residential (including business) uses,
anything outside the garden of the property (including stables if
in a separate paddock).
