Planning Refusals: How to Interpret Feedback and Get Permission

Refusal of planning permission is a major setback for any self-build or renovation project.

It brings unwanted delay, cost and uncertainty, which will be all the more painful if these things haven’t been factored into your budget from the outset – but it doesn’t have to signal the end of your ambitions.

Rejection of a planning application might be predictable, especially if the council has expressed opposition to a scheme from the outset. But it can also be unexpected: it’s not unheard of for seemingly positive noises from the planning office to suddenly turn negative at the 11th hour.

In both cases, it’s important to look closely at how and why your scheme has been declined, so that you can take a well-informed decision on the best way to tackle the issues and move forward.

Project feedback

Your application will be dealt with either by planning officers, under delegated powers, or by councillors sitting on the planning committee.

Either way, if it’s turned down then a formal notice of refusal is sent out, which lists the reasons why the application has been declined. This will reference any policies the scheme is considered to conflict with – whether at local or national level.

Some councils like to cram all of these points into a single rambling paragraph. Others, more helpfully, split the issues up into numbered sections.

There’s a tendency to use a mixture of impenetrable jargon and vague language to describe their reasoning – so it can be difficult to pin down the precise problem. In these circumstances it’s always advisable to read the case officer’s report to the planning committee, where the concerns should be spelt out in more detail.

If this doesn’t yield any clarity, speak to the officer to determine exactly what their objections are and discuss whether there might be a route to gaining approval.

Why was it rejected?

The reasons for a planning refusal can be divided up into three distinct types. Some points will deal with the fundamentals of whether a scheme is acceptable under policy.

Others will reference common issues, such as design, layout and impact on neighbours’ privacy.

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