Guide
Respond to planning refusal
What to do when your planning application is refused. Understand your options: amend and resubmit, negotiate, appeal, or move on. How to decide which approach is right for your situation.
A planning refusal doesn't necessarily mean the end of your project. Understanding why the application was refused - and choosing the right response - can often lead to eventual approval.
This guide helps you understand your options and decide on the best approach.
Understand the reasons for refusal
Your decision notice will list the specific reasons your application was refused. These typically fall into categories:
Policy-based reasons
- Conflict with Local Plan policies (housing, employment, green belt, etc.)
- Conflict with national policy (NPPF)
- Principle of development unacceptable in this location
Response: Harder to overcome. You'd need to demonstrate the policy interpretation is wrong, or that material considerations outweigh policy conflict.
Design and amenity reasons
- Scale, height, massing inappropriate for the area
- Design doesn't respect local character
- Harm to neighbouring amenity (overlooking, overshadowing, noise)
Response: Often addressable through design amendments. Reduce height, reposition windows, adjust layout.
Technical reasons
- Highway safety concerns
- Inadequate parking provision
- Flood risk not addressed
- Ecological impacts not mitigated
- Insufficient supporting information
Response: Usually addressable through additional information or technical design changes.
Your options
Option 1: Amend and resubmit
Best when: Reasons are design-related or technical, and you can address them with reasonable changes.
Process:
- Analyse each reason for refusal
- Design amendments that address each concern
- Consider pre-application advice on the revised scheme
- Submit a new application with a covering letter explaining how you've addressed each reason
Fee: You may be entitled to a free resubmission if within 12 months and the site and description are the same.
Option 2: Negotiate and resubmit
Best when: The reasons suggest there might be an acceptable scheme, but you need to understand what the LPA would support.
Process:
- Request a meeting with the planning officer
- Discuss what changes would address their concerns
- Consider whether their suggestions are commercially viable
- Submit a revised scheme following their guidance
Option 3: Appeal
Best when: You believe the decision was wrong and you have strong grounds to challenge it.
Process:
- Submit appeal to Planning Inspectorate within deadline (6 months, or 12 weeks for householder)
- Prepare your case addressing each reason for refusal
- Await inspector's decision (typically 3-6 months for written appeals)
See also: Make a planning appeal
Option 4: Walk away
Best when: The reasons for refusal are fundamental and unlikely to be overcome, or the scheme is no longer commercially viable.
Considerations:
- Can you recover your costs or exit the land deal?
- Would resources be better spent on a different site?
- Is there a very long-term prospect (waiting for policy review)?
Making the decision
Questions to ask yourself
- Are the reasons fundamental or fixable? Policy conflict is harder to overcome than design concerns.
- What would amendments cost? Significant redesign might erode viability.
- What's the likely outcome? Get professional advice on your chances of success.
- What's the time cost? Resubmission takes 8-13 weeks; appeal takes 3-6 months minimum.
- What's the relationship cost? Contentious appeals can affect your relationship with the LPA for future applications.
When to get professional help
Consider engaging a planning consultant if:
- The refusal involves complex policy arguments
- You're considering appeal
- The scheme represents significant investment
- You need an objective assessment of your options
Step-by-step: Responding to refusal
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Read the decision notice carefully
Note every reason for refusal, the policies cited, and any officer comments. Understanding exactly why you were refused is essential for deciding your response.
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Get the officer's report
Request the delegated officer report or committee report. This explains the reasoning in more detail and often hints at what changes might be acceptable.
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Assess each reason objectively
For each reason, ask: Is this fundamental (principle of development) or fixable (design/technical)? Be honest - wishful thinking leads to expensive failed appeals.
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Get professional advice if needed
For significant schemes, consult a planning professional before deciding. They can assess your options and advise on likely outcomes.
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Contact the planning officer
If you're considering amendments, speak to the officer. Ask what changes would address their concerns. Get this in writing if possible.
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Decide your approach
Based on your assessment: amend and resubmit, appeal, or walk away. Each has different costs, timescales, and chances of success.
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Note your appeal deadline
If you might appeal, note the deadline (6 months for most applications, 12 weeks for householder). You can't appeal after this deadline.
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Act promptly
Whether resubmitting or appealing, don't delay. Conditions can change (new policies adopted, site circumstances alter) and delays erode value.
Developers: Refusal is part of the process
Refusals are common, especially for schemes that push boundaries. Experienced developers:
- Build planning risk into their appraisals
- Don't over-commit financially before planning is secure
- Maintain good relationships with LPAs even after refusal
- Learn from each refusal to improve future applications
Portfolio approach: If one site is refused, move resources to sites that are progressing. Don't let a single refusal paralyse your business.