SARAH GRIGGS
Left & above: When Vincent Haines and his wife Jaqueline submitted plans to build a neo- Georgian new home, the planners rejected their application on the grounds that the proposal was too large. “It was a long process, but in the end we took it to appeal and won,” says Vincent. “The funny thing is, the design we submitted was much bigger than we thought we’d get permission for – we’d anticipated the planners would knock us down 20% on size. We thought we’d go as large as we could and end up with a reasonablysized property.”
Despite the meticulous research, preparation and presentation you’ll put into your scheme, it’s possible that your planning application will stumble at the first hurdle – but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the line for your project. If your submission is refused or the local authority doesn’t reach a decision within eight weeks from registration, you still have the right to appeal. This process takes the decision out of the council’s hands and into those of an independent inspector. The prospect of going down this route may seem a little daunting and it’s not always obvious as to whether you will succeed. So, let’s take a closer look at the procedure involved and the factors that will give your scheme the best chance of success.