Closed petition Allow objectors to appeal a planning approval decisions

Closed on 14 August 2019

If a local authority refuses a planning application, the applicant has the opportunity to appeal the refusal decision in which case the application is passed to the planning inspectorate for review the actions of the local authority. If the application is approved, no right of appeal exists.

Localism allows Local Authorities to make decisions on planning applications at a local level. Applications are often approved against the advice of consultees, objectors and Parish Councils. In the case of approved applications, no similar appeal process is available to objectors. Only an extremely costly Judicial Review is available to challenge the decision and have it reviewed against local and national planning policy by a body outside of the Local Authority. This situation needs to change.