A refusal of planning permission can feel like the end of the process, but it rarely is. We specialise in planning appeals and regularly act for homeowners and developers in the London Borough of Croydon, helping them challenge refusals based on weak or subjective judgements.
We work on dozens on appeals in Croydon each year, given us an insight into how planning decisions are made in the borough and how appeal inspectors assess those decisions. We win a majority of the appeals we undertake.
Planning refusals in Croydon tend to come down to questions about design, scale or whether something fits with what’s already there. The council will often be fine with the idea of developing a site, but then raise concerns about how it looks or what impact it might have.
We see these refusals all the time and we’ve learnt how Croydon phrases its objections and, just as importantly, how inspectors actually view those same points when they’re reviewing an appeal.
That means we can write appeal statements that focus on what really matters to inspectors, rather than going over arguments they’re likely to dismiss.
Croydon’s got a bit of everything – suburban streets, busy town centres and areas earmarked for development. That mix can make planning decisions difficult to predict, especially when a proposal is pushing the boundaries of what officers think works in terms of design or scale. You can end up with a refusal even when the actual impacts are fairly minor.
If the council has turned down your application, an appeal gives you a proper second look from someone independent. Your case gets reviewed by the Planning Inspectorate rather than the council, and most appeals are dealt with through written submissions without needing a hearing.
We’ve handled appeals right across Croydon, with recent successes in the town centre, but also in Addiscombe, Thornton Heath, Coulsdon and Purley. We know the policies and guidance the council leans on when making decisions, and we also know how inspectors tend to see those same issues when they’re looking at an appeal.
Planning officers in Croydon have to make judgment calls on things like design, character and impact. We understand how they arrive at those decisions and, crucially, how inspectors scrutinise them during an appeal. That helps us zero in on the issues that actually carry weight.
We are very active in Croydon, which means we’ve got a good sense of why the council typically refuses applications and how inspectors have actually dealt with those reasons in recent appeals.
All of our planning consultants are fully qualified, chartered town planners with direct experience of working within the planning system. We understand how decisions are made in practice and how they are examined and tested at appeal.
We regularly handle planning appeals across Croydon for a wide range of developments, including dormer roof extensions, two-storey side and rear extensions, new dwellings on infill sites and retrospective extensions. Below are some of our recent wins in the borough.
Yes. If your planning application has been refused by the London Borough of Croydon, you will usually have a right of appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. An appeal allows an independent inspector to reconsider the proposal and the council’s reasons for refusal.
For most householder planning applications, you must submit an appeal within 12 weeks of the decision date. Other types of appeal can have different deadlines, so it is important to check this early.
Most householder appeals in Barnet are decided through written representations and typically take a few months. Timescales can vary depending on the type of appeal and the Planning Inspectorate’s workload.
It is not generally permitted to change your plans before appealing. Any substantial changes require a new planning application.
That depends on why the application was refused. If the council has taken a firm or subjective position that is unlikely to change, an appeal may be the better option. If the refusal relates to a specific technical issue, a revised application may be more appropriate.
The Planning Inspectorate does not charge a fee for householder appeals. Your main cost is professional fees for preparing and managing the appeal. We explain fees clearly at the outset, once we have reviewed your case.
We charge fixed fees (so that there are no surprises). A householder appeal typically costs between £1,000 and £2,000 plus VAT.
Most appeals are decided by written representations only. This means there is no hearing or inquiry and no need for you to attend in person.
Every case is different. However, many refusals in Croydon are based on subjective assessments of design or impact, which can often be successfully challenged at appeal. We offer a free initial assessment to give you an honest view before you decide how to proceed.
We never take on a case that we don’t think we can win.
Talk to an expert
If your planning application has been refused, you don’t have to accept the decision at face value. Our chartered planning consultants specialise in planning appeals and can advise you on whether a refusal is worth challenging.
Send us your decision notice and we’ll review it for free, explain your prospects at appeal and set out the next steps clearly.
If you prefer to email, we can be reached at info@just-planning.co.uk.
