Planning Appeal

How to appeal against a planning rejection, plus when and how to revise your designs in order to win a planning appeal.

Appealing Refused/Denied Planning applications in Putney

If you’ve had your planning application rejected, that doesn’t mean your project can’t go ahead. There are many reasons for the local authority planners to reject your scheme, but many can be overcome with judicious adjustment of either the plan itself or sometimes even the way that the arguments are made for your proposal. Right first time should be the target, but not all decisions are based strictly on published policies. Ideally the planners will contact you and ask if you can make the changes they feel are necessary. But often the pressure of time means they don’t and the first you know of this is the decision email. ​

At Andrew Catto Architects, we have a track record both of successfully appealing against rejections and also of submitting new/revised plans using the original grounds for refusal as a guide for what to alter and what not to. The best way to navigate the process is with a local architect who knows both the local planners and their interpretation of the rules so, to see if we can help get your failed application accepted or successfully appealed, call or email us to arrange a chat without obligation.

Here we’ve answered some of the most common rejection and planning appeal questions:

Q: How do you appeal planning permission in Putney?

A: Appeals are run by the Planning Inspectorate, a national body independent of local councils, who naturally don’t want to overturn their own decisions. Effectively they judge your original planning application afresh. You can’t change the scheme but can and should support this with a written ‘case for appeal’. Getting that document right is where our experience counts.

Q: How long does it take to appeal planning applications in Putney?

A: In short, too long. The Planning Inspectorate will send you a timetable of around six weeks, but only once you reach the front of the queue of an Inspector. This varies with demand and as with everything else waiting times seem to be rising. Currently you should allow around six months all in.

Q: How much does it cost to appeal planning denial/refusal in Putney?

A: The good news is that there’s no fee to pay the Inspector. But without a well prepared Appeal Case you’re not going to win. Money spent on fees for this is well invested. ​

Q: Does “permitted development” apply in Putney conservation area?

A: The short answer is “usually not,” but we can still use those rules to help persuade or guide the planners, as permitted development rules do give planners a sense of what sort of development the government wants them to try to allow, provided it can be done within the stricter constraints of a protected area.

Q: Can you appeal refusal of planning permission in a Putney conservation area?

A: Yes, you definitely can. The process is the same whether or not your house is a listed building or your site is in a conservation area. Conservation protected status gives the planners more scope for a subjective refusal as “not in keeping” and more scope for a conservation aware architect to challenge this.

Successful Planning Appeal in Putney

A local small business wanted to expand with a kiosk closer to the Town Centre. They asked us to design a kiosk shop in a timber clad shipping container which would allow off-site construction. Sadly, Wandsworth Council said ‘No’, this would not fit in the West Putney Conservation Area. Undaunted, we put together an appeal, the Planning Inspector agreed with us and has granted consent. it’s not something we have to do often. Planning Permission first time is always the goal. But it’s nice to celebrate being proved right, and to help with the post-Covid revival of the High Street. Better late permission than none!