Planning enforcement appeals
There is a statutory right of appeal against enforcement notices served by the Local Planning Authority. Anyone with an interest in the land, even if they have not been served with a copy of the notice, can make an appeal - this normally means the owner, tenant or leaseholder of the property.
Anyone who is not the appellant or the Local Planning Authority also has the right to take part and make formal comments on the appeal.
Planning appeals, including enforcement appeals, are dealt with by the Planning Inspectorate.
How to make an appeal
If you want to make an appeal against a notice served by the Local Planning Authority, you must do so before the date when the notice comes into effect. This date will be clearly stated on the notice.
If you have been served with a copy of the enforcement notice, you will have received the booklet 'Making your enforcement appeal' which gives detailed advice about the appeals process. You should read this booklet before deciding whether or not to appeal. You can also view the 'Making your enforcement appeal' booklet online on the Planning Inspectorate website.
If you decide that you want to lodge an appeal against a notice, you can either complete the appeal forms that were sent with the copy of the notice, or make your appeal online using the Planning Portal.
If you want to take part in an appeal
If you are aware of an enforcement appeal being made and you are not the appellant, you also have the right to take part in the appeal.
If you have not received notification of the appeal directly from the Local Planning Authority, you can contact our Planning Appeals team for more information about the processes and deadline involved:
- Planning Appeals
Phoenix House
10 Wandsworth Road
London SW8 2LL
Tel: 020 7926 1185
If you would like to comment on an appeal, you are strongly advised to read the Planning Inspectorate's Guide to taking part in Enforcement Appeals web pages.
How long will it take?
Appeals against enforcement notices can often take a considerable amount of time for the Planning Inspectorate to determine. Depending on the format the appeal takes, the process can often take up to a year.