Appeal a minor commercial development decision

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1. When you can appeal

Your local planning authority makes decisions on applications about minor commercial developments, for example ground floor alterations like shop fronts and security shutters.

You can appeal a minor commercial development decision if you disagree with it.

There’s no fee for appealing.

Only the person who made the application can appeal.

Deadline for appealing

You must appeal within 12 weeks of the date on the decision notice from your local planning authority.

The deadline’s earlier if you’ve received an enforcement notice - you must appeal within 28 days of the notice.

2. Make an appeal

You can make an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate online or by post.

If you want to appeal more than one decision you must make a separate appeal for each.

You also need to send a copy of your appeal, including all the supporting documents, to your local planning authority. The Planning Inspectorate will tell you how to do this.

Documents you must provide

You’ll need to submit copies of:

  • your original application
  • the site ownership certificate
  • the local planning authority’s decision notice
  • your appeal, if you’re appealing by post

You’ll also need to submit:

  • a map of the surrounding area
  • any other documents that directly support your appeal, for example your grounds for appeal

You can upload these documents when you appeal online or post them to the Planning Inspectorate.

Appeal online

You must have copyright permission to use any drawings or other documents.

You can upload Word documents, images or PDF files up to 15MB. Do not send web links to files - send the files themselves.

All files must be:

  • a single document, appendix or image
  • given file names that describe what they are

Appeal a minor commercial development decision on the Appeals Casework Portal.

Appeal by post or email

Ask the Planning Inspectorate for an appeal form to appeal by post or email.

The form will tell you where to send the completed form and required documents to.

The Planning Inspectorate
Room 3 O/P
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Temple Quay
Bristol
BS1 6PN

Planning Inspectorate customer support team
enquiries@planninginspectorate.gov.uk
Telephone: 0303 444 5000
Find out about call charges

3. Comment on an appeal

No-one can comment on a minor commercial development decision appeal.

Your local planning authority must tell anyone who has commented on the original application (‘interested parties’) that there’s an appeal.

They have to do this within 5 working days of the appeal being started by the Planning Inspectorate.

Read the detailed guidance about taking part in an appeal.

4. After you appeal

The Planning Inspectorate will check your appeal to make sure it’s valid. They’ll tell you what happens next and how long your appeal may take.

The Planning Inspectorate will then consider your appeal. Check how long planning appeal decisions normally take.

If anyone behaves unreasonably

You can apply for an ‘award of costs’ if anyone involved in your appeal has cost you money by behaving unreasonably, for example missing deadlines. You can have costs awarded against you too.

You can complain about how the Planning Inspectorate handled your appeal. There’s no time limit for complaints.

5. If you disagree with the appeal decision

You can challenge the decision in the High Court if you think the Planning Inspectorate made a legal mistake.

Get advice from a lawyer if you’re unsure about this.