A refusal of planning permission is not the end of the road. Just Planning was based in Ealing Broadway for many years and has a long-standing connection with the borough. We have dealt with the full range of planning issues in Ealing – from householder extensions and roof terraces to infill dwellings, replacement buildings, HMOs and enforcement appeals. If the council has refused your application, we can assess whether an appeal is likely to succeed.
Ealing is seen as one of the more development-friendly London boroughs. It is supportive of regeneration, tall buildings and new housing, particularly around North Acton and the Old Oak Common area, and it has embraced the opportunities created by the Elizabeth line running through Ealing Broadway, Acton Main Line, West Ealing, Southall and Hanwell.
That does not mean refusals are rare. Even well-designed schemes are frequently refused where officers consider that there is some compromise on small or sensitive sites. Infill houses on corner plots, garden sites or former garage land are common, but they almost always involve a degree of planning judgement. Where officers are reluctant to exercise that judgement positively, an appeal can be the right solution.
Because we were based in Ealing Broadway for many years, we have dealt with hundreds of planning applications and appeals across the borough, from Acton to Hanwell and Southall. We understand how the council approaches design, conservation areas and small infill development.
Ealing’s adopted Local Plan is now out of date and the borough is working on an emerging plan. Its existing policies and supplementary guidance on extensions and urban design are not unusually strict, but decisions can still be cautious, particularly where officers see harm to character or neighbouring living conditions.
The council has a poor success rate at appeal. In 2025, it lost 54% of the householder appeals submitted against it, against a national average rate of around 30%. If you have been refused planning permission for an extension, you have a better than evens chance of winning an appeal.
Much of our work in Ealing relates to small infill dwellings on corner plots, garden land or former garage sites. The borough is not opposed to this form of development in principle, but it often requires compromise. Case officers can be reluctant to grant permission where a scheme is not perfect. On appeal, inspectors are often more willing to balance minor harm against the benefits of additional housing in sustainable locations.
Ealing is highly protective of its conservation areas and frequently refuses extensions, roof alterations and modest changes in those locations. We have experience arguing that well-designed development can preserve or enhance character, even where the council takes a rigid view. Design is ultimately a matter of planning judgement, not personal taste.
Ealing is also an active enforcement borough, particularly in relation to beds in sheds, oversized extensions and unauthorised roof terraces. We have successfully obtained planning permission for roof terraces in the borough, including a recent case at 24 Highlands Avenue. If your proposal involves a contentious form of development, we can advise realistically on your prospects at appeal.
We have handled appeals in Ealing involving infill houses, extensions in conservation areas, roof terraces, HMOs and enforcement matters. The borough is open to development, particularly around regeneration areas and transport hubs, but refusals are still common where officers take a cautious view. An appeal provides a fresh, independent assessment of your proposal.
Nationally, around one third of planning appeals are successful. In Ealing, the success rate for householder appeals in 2025 was significantly higher, with around 54% allowed. That does not mean every refusal should be appealed, but it does show that inspectors often take a different view to the council.
Not in principle. Ealing is seeing significant growth, particularly around North Acton and Old Oak Common, and the borough generally supports new housing in sustainable locations. However, small infill sites almost always involve compromise. Even well-designed schemes are sometimes refused where officers consider that there is some harm to character or neighbours. Those are often precisely the types of cases that succeed on appeal.
Ealing is very protective of its conservation areas. Officers frequently take a cautious approach to dormers, rear extensions and alterations in these locations, even where proposals appear modest. The key issue is whether the proposal preserves or enhances the character of the area. That is ultimately a matter of planning judgement, and inspectors sometimes disagree with the council’s assessment.
Ealing is generally wary of roof terraces, particularly where there are concerns about overlooking or noise. However, they are not automatically unacceptable. We have successfully obtained permission for roof terraces in the borough, including at 24 Highlands Avenue. The outcome usually turns on the specific relationship with neighbouring properties and whether any overlooking can be properly mitigated.
Ealing’s adopted Local Plan is now relatively old and the borough is progressing an emerging plan. The existing policies and supplementary guidance on extensions and urban design are not unusually strict compared to some other London boroughs. Refusals often arise from the way policies are interpreted in individual cases rather than from excessively demanding policy wording.
Yes. Ealing is in the top group of councils nationally for serving enforcement notices. The council takes action in relation to beds in sheds, unauthorised HMOs, oversized extensions and roof terraces. If you have received an enforcement notice, you should seek advice quickly, as there is usually only 28 days to submit an appeal.
Most householder appeals are dealt with through written representations and take several months from submission to decision. The process is handled by the Planning Inspectorate, not by the council, and the inspector will visit the site before making a decision.
That depends on the reasons for refusal. Sometimes it is better to amend a scheme and reapply. In other cases, particularly where the council has taken an overly rigid approach or ignored clear precedent, an appeal is the stronger route. We will advise you honestly on which option gives you the best chance of success.
Talk to an expert
If your planning application has been refused in Ealing, do not assume the decision is final. Independent inspectors allow a significant proportion of appeals in the borough, particularly for householder developments.
Send us your refusal notice and we will review it free of charge, explain your prospects clearly and outline the next steps.
If you prefer to email, we can be reached at info@just-planning.co.uk.
