More planning appellants should now be asking for hearings
The three appeal procedures If you appeal a refusal of planning permission, there are three possible procedures: written representations, a hearing and an inquiry. You can say on the appeal form which procedure you think is appropriate, but the decision is not yours; it is the appeal inspector who decides. Except for more complicated cases, […]
New planning appeal rules mean your planning application needs to be stronger from the start
The planning appeal system in England has changed for most planning applications submitted from 1 April 2026 onwards. In most cases, if the application is refused and later appealed, the inspector will decide the appeal largely on the basis of the material that was before the council when it made its decision. There is no […]
A Powerful Permitted Development Right: Class MA
On 1 August 2021, the government bestowed a great gift on property developers – it was the first day for a new permitted development right to convert commercial premises into flats. Many developers have built whole businesses around commercial-to-resi conversions. So what is the new Class MA right and what opportunities does it present for […]
Radical changes to the Use Classes Order – What is the new Class E?
It has a been a busy few weeks in planning, and the government has just announced yet more planning reforms. You may be familiar with the Use Classes Order – it divides the ‘uses’ of land and property into different classes. Class A1 covers shops for example, and A3 restaurants. Offices come under B1, flats […]
Adding extra floors to blocks of flats under permitted development
In 2020, the government introduced a permitted development right allowing additional floors to be added to certain detached blocks of flats. The aim was to increase housing supply in built-up areas without requiring a full planning application. The right is set out in Part 20, Class A of the General Permitted Development Order. Although it is […]
Planners targeting Airbnb landlords with Enforcement Notices
A record number of people visiting the UK are taking advantage of cheap and flexible Airbnb rentals, as the short-lets website continues its explosive growth. However, the site’s success is creating a backlash as neighbours complain about noise and disturbance, and the battle is moving to local council planning departments. Renting out your home for […]
Received an enforcement notice? How to persuade the council to withdraw it
Just Planning recently persuaded Enfield, Hounslow, Hillingdon & Ealing councils to withdraw enforcement notices. How? Councils have the power to serve an enforcement notice if they believe that a development or change of use has been carried out without planning permission. They may also serve a notice if a development had planning permission but the […]
Enforcement action against unauthorised dormer roof extensions
Every month, we help homeowners who are facing planning enforcement action after building a dormer roof extension. In most cases, the situation has arisen through an innocent mistake. The homeowner believed the dormer was permitted development and did not require planning permission, only to be told later by the council that this was not the […]
The Sunday Times quotes our research in a 7 page feature on the planning crisis
In the Home section of today’s Sunday Times, journalist Martina Lees provides a detailed analysis of a crisis in the planning system. The article (which can be read here) features our detailed research on the proportion of planning applications approved by various councils up and down the country, the delays in the approval of some […]
Newham Council loses planning appeal and is required to pay our client’s full costs
Newham Council ordered to pay full costs following unreasonable refusal We recently won a planning appeal for a straightforward first-floor rear extension in Forest Gate, in the London Borough of Newham. The refusal was particularly difficult to justify. The extension proposed by our client was virtually identical to a number of others along the same street, […]