What to do if… your planning application is rejected

A planning refusal doesn’t have to mean the end of the road for your dream home project. Mike Dade looks at four enlightening case studies that will help you decide on the best route forward

With all the hard work and emotion that gets poured into designing your dream home, it can be immensely frustrating to be faced with a refusal of planning permission. The good news, though, is that sometimes you can adjust your scheme to address objections and resubmit a scheme that stands a better chance of success. In other situations, there may be no way forward with the council – in which case there’s the option of lodging an appeal.

How to deal with a refusal

The best way to deal with your application being turned down will vary from case to case. So here I’m going to explain the basics of refusals, resubmissions and appeals.

An application can be rejected either by the local authority’s planning officers, under so-called delegated powers, or by the planning committee (presided over by the councillors). In the latter case, politics can play a significant role in whether you’ll be granted approval.

Either way, a refusal notice must set out the reasons permission has been withheld. The first step when your project is rejected, therefore, is to look carefully at the issues and see whether you can address them. If you think adjustments could be made to the design or layout to accommodate these concerns, discuss them with your planning case officer and try to get an idea of whether a resubmission might succeed.