If planning permission is refused for your application, or if your application isn't decided within a set period, you have a right to appeal. You can also appeal if planning permission is granted but is subject to a condition which you disagree with. Further information is provided by the Planning Portal.

Appeals are made to the First Secretary of State and are administered by the Planning Inspectorate, which is part of Communities and Local Government. Appeals are considered by a planning inspector.

There are three ways to appeal:

• Most are handled in writing, with the exchange of written representations
• Some are decided at an Informal Hearing before an inspector
• A few, usually major cases, are decided after a Public Inquiry before an Inspector

Appeal Guidelines are available here

Appeals lodged or decided since 1 January 2007 are available here (updated weekly):

• Start Notice
• Decisions
• A weekly progress report is provided here

In addition, further information regarding the planning application to which an appeal relates is available on the public access pages.

Neighbours and other interested parties have no right of appeal if they disagree with a decision to grant planning permission

If you are unhappy about how the application was dealt with, or how your comments were treated, you can complain to this council using our complaints procedure, alternatively you can complain to the Local Government Ombudsman.

Please note the Ombudsman can only investigate the procedure which was followed when the application was determined, not the planning merits of the case.