Planning appeals · England

Planning appeals, explained clearly.

A planning appeal is your chance to ask an independent Planning Inspector to look again at a refused application (or, in some cases, a delayed decision). Most homeowner appeals are decided on written statements — no hearing, no drama — but deadlines are strict, procedural processes must be followed, and success is never guaranteed.

Get a free case review Householder no win, no fee service

What is a planning appeal?

When a local planning authority refuses permission (or fails to decide in time), you can appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. The Inspector is independent of the council.

For most householder cases in England, the appeal is dealt with by written representations: you and the council put your cases in writing, and the Inspector decides.

Important: an appeal is usually assessed on the same proposal the council refused. It is not a free redesign exercise. If the scheme needs material changes, a revised application may be smarter than an appeal.

Householder appeals (HAS)

Many homeowner schemes (extensions, loft conversions, outbuildings and similar works to an existing house) use the householder appeal route.

Deadline: usually 12 weeks from the date on the decision notice.
Procedure: typically written representations only.
Fee to the Inspectorate: there is no fee to lodge the appeal — our professional fee is only payable if the appeal succeeds.
Timetable: often quicker than larger appeals — commonly in the region of a few months, though times vary.

Always check your decision notice and current GOV.UK guidance for your exact deadline and route. Deadlines are hard — missing them usually ends the right to appeal that decision.

Typical outcomes

What do success rates look like?

National figures move over time, but the honest headline for England is: most appeals are dismissed. Householder appeals tend to do better than the overall average, still usually in the “around one in three allowed” territory, not a coin toss in your favour. Some authorities have much better chances than others, where the figure for successful householder appeals can hit over 50%.

~30%

Overall s78 / general planning appeals allowed in recent quarters (order of magnitude).

~35–37%

Householder appeals often allow at a somewhat higher rate than the all-appeals average in recent data.

~2 in 3

Appeals are still refused. Statistics set expectations — they don’t decide your case.

Sources include Planning Inspectorate statistical releases and industry summaries of recent quarters (for example overall allow rates around 30%, with householder rates sometimes in the mid-30%s). Rates vary by year, procedure, council area and appeal type. Your free Planzo review can include similar-appeal context for cases closer to yours — far more useful than a national average alone.

Curious how your own council compares? See the 10 councils with the highest householder appeal success rate.

When you should consider appealing

✓The refusal reasons look weak, inconsistent with policy, or poorly evidenced.
✓Similar schemes nearby have been approved or allowed on appeal.
✓You believe the harm is overstated (for example character, overlooking, bulk) and can be answered with clear planning reasoning.
✓You are still within the deadline and have time to prepare a proper statement.
✓You are happy to defend the scheme as refused — without needing major redesign.
✓The council failed to decide in time and you want an independent decision (non-determination), where that route applies.

When an appeal may be the wrong move

✓The scheme needs significant changes to address the refusal — a revised application is often better.
✓There is a free or low-friction resubmission path that can fix clear design issues.
✓Key evidence is missing and can’t be properly addressed within appeal rules/time.
✓You’re past (or very close to) the deadline with no realistic time to prepare.
✓The refusal is fundamentally sound on policy and facts — hope isn’t a strategy.
✓You mainly want a “second opinion” without a genuine planning case — save the fee and the wait.

How it works

A simple householder appeal path

Read the refusal carefully List every reason for refusal and what policy/evidence the council relied on.
Sense-check appeal vs resubmit If the scheme is basically right, appeal. If it needs redesign, revise and reapply.
Check the clock Householder appeals are commonly due within 12 weeks of the decision notice date.
Build a focused written case Address the refusal reasons directly. One strong statement beats a long emotional one.
Submit and wait for the Inspector The Inspectorate runs the process; the council responds; a decision follows in writing.

What Planzo does differently

We start with a free review. You’ll get an honest view of suitability, similar-appeal statistics where we can provide them, and a clear next step. If there’s no realistic prospect, we’ll say so.

Householder HAS appeals (written representations, England) are £690, no win, no fee — you only pay if the appeal is allowed.

Ready to check your case?

Send your planning reference and the basics. No obligation. We’ll tell you whether an appeal makes sense — and what the numbers look like for similar cases.

Request a free review Read FAQs