Planning decisions and appeals

How an application is decided

The whole decision-making process should take about eight weeks to complete, but may take longer where there is local interest or amendments are required.

Planning application decisions fall within three basic categories:

• unconditional permission
• permission subject to conditions
• refusal

In most cases senior officers of the council will consider the case officer’s recommendation for minor applications, considering any comments made and issue a decision.

The process varies in other cases:

• if the application is for major development, is controversial, goes against council policy or is the subject of a significant number of objections, then the officer’s recommendation will be considered by the planning committee
• shortly after the application has been determined, a decision notice is sent to the applicant or their agent
• view previous planning committee minutes (including decisions)

Appeal an application

If you want to appeal against a refusal or grant, consent, agreement or approval of planning permission subject to conditions, you must do so within six months of the date of the notice of the decision.

Find out more about making an appeal using the planning portal – GOV.UK. Information about planning application appeals is included in the weekly members’ information service update.

Appeals must be made using a form which you can get from the Planning Inspectorate or from the planning portal – we can also accept these appeal forms by email at planningapps@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.

If planning permission is refused or granted subject to conditions the applicant can appeal to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

We will notify all those that have commented on the application that an appeal has been made.

The appeal will be dealt with in one of three ways detailed below.

If the proposal is a householder application and dealt with by the written representation procedure, any comments made on the original application will be forwarded to the planning inspector who will be appointed by the Secretary of State to consider the appeal. You will not be able to comment further on a householder appeal.

If the appeal is not for a householder application you will be able to make additional comments to the planning inspector.

If there is a public inquiry or informal hearing both objectors and supporters have the right to speak.

All householder appeals made on or after 6 April 2009 are dealt with by the householder appeals service. The time limit for an applicant to submit an appeal against refusal of planning permission is 12 weeks from the date of the notice of the decision.