Planning Appeals
We have an extensive amount of experience within the planning appeal process from identifying the main issues and writing statements of case to attending site visits and hearings. This includes appeal work outside of my local area.
In any one year the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) receives in excess of 22,000 appeals. Of those around 19,000 are dealt with via written representations. The remainder are dealt with via other appeal routes such as hearings or public enquiry. It is not a route which should be taken lightly given it can often take several months and, in some appeals, the evidence and reports required to put the best case forward can be relatively costly.
Many people are not aware of the fact that statistics from PINS, over the last four years, show that of the planning appeals submitted those which are allowed only total around 30%. Your chances at appeal are, therefore, only likely if you can present a robustly prepared and well evidenced case to put before your Inspector. The role of an Inspector is to review the evidence and case before them and reach a conclusion based on that, and that only. They have no requirement to determine outside of what is submitted by the parties involved. This means putting everything in front of an Inspector, which you wish to base your argument upon, is crucial. It is not a case of hoping someone may take a differing view to a Council.
If your application has been refused, we regularly review applications, ascertain the main issues and advise if an appeal has any realistic prospect of resulting in an approval.