New planning complaint decisions

A weekly update on planning complaint decisions

Please note: our decisions are published six weeks after they are issued to councils, care providers and the person who has made the complaint. The cases below reflect the caselaw and guidance available at the time of issue and the individual circumstances of each case.


Summary: Ms X complains about the decision by the Council to approve planning permission for an extension to her neighbour’s property. Ms X says this has caused her to suffer significant loss of light and outlook from her property. The Council was not at fault for how it approved the planning application.

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s decision not to enforce a planning condition. We found no fault in the way the Council made its decision not to take enforcement action.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council worded a section 106 agreement. That is because the matter is late.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council worded a section 106 agreement. That is because the matter is late.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council worded a section 106 agreement. That is because the matter is late.

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s decision not to enforce a planning condition. We found no fault in the way the Council made its decision not to take enforcement action.

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s decision not to enforce a planning condition. We found no fault in the way the Council made its decision not to take enforcement action.

Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council’s decision not to enforce a planning condition. We found no fault in the way the Council made its decision not to take enforcement action.

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s decision not to enforce a planning condition. We found no fault in the way the Council made its decision not to take enforcement action.

Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council’s decision not to enforce a planning condition. We found no fault in the way the Council made its decision not to take enforcement action.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s changing of the complainant’s address. We do not consider the complainant has suffered sufficient personal injustice to warrant an investigation. Nor can we achieve the outcome sought.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s installation of a generator and roof vent in garages opposite the complainant’s home. There is not enough evidence of fault in the Council’s actions. And as the generator has not been used at night, the injustice claimed by the complainant is speculative.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council granting planning permission to vary the design of an air duct the complainant says causes fumes to affect his home. This is because we have already decided a previous complaint about the original proposal, and the change of design cannot have the effects the complainant claims so it does not warrant us investigating.

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to address issues caused by the construction of a new leisure centre near her home. We found, overall, the Council took proportionate action to address the concerns being raised. We found there was no failure to take planning enforcement action by the Council. We found there was a failure to follow up about potential damage caused by paint over-spraying. This was fault. We recommended the Council took action to address this.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with the complainant’s planning applications. This is because the complainants have appealed to the Planning Inspector. Parts of the complaint are also late.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to require an unauthorised access to be closed. The complainant appealed to the Planning Inspector so the matter is therefore outside our jurisdiction. The new owner has reopened the access, but this has not caused the complainant any injustice.