Appeal an enforcement notice
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1. When you can appeal
Your local planning authority may send you an enforcement notice if you’ve built or changed something without planning permission.
You can appeal against an enforcement notice if you own, rent or lawfully occupy the property or land it applies to.
Anyone can comment on an appeal.
There’s no fee for appealing, unless you also apply for planning permission.
Deadline for appealing
Your appeal must be received before the date the enforcement notice takes effect.
2. Make an appeal
You can make an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate online or by post.
If you want to appeal more than one enforcement notice you must make a separate appeal for each. Each person should appeal separately.
You also need to send a copy of your appeal, including all the supporting documents, to your local planning authority. The Planning Inspectorate will tell you how to do this.
Documents you must provide
You’ll need to submit:
- a copy of your enforcement notice
- a plan (if there is one)
- any other documents that directly support your appeal, for example your grounds for appeal
- your appeal, if you’re appealing by post
You can upload these documents when you appeal online or post them to the Planning Inspectorate.
Appeal online
You must have copyright permission to use any drawings or other documents.
You can upload Word documents, images or PDF files up to 15MB. Do not send web links to files - send the files themselves.
All files must be:
- a single document, appendix or image
- given file names that describe what they are
Appeal an enforcement notice on the Appeals Casework Portal.
Appeal by post
Contact the Planning Inspectorate by phone for an appeal form to appeal by post.
The form will tell you where to send the completed form and required documents to.
Contact the Planning Inspectorate
You can ask for an appeal form over the phone or if you need help using the online service.
By phone
Planning Inspectorate customer support team
Telephone: 0303 444 5000
Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm (except public holidays)
Find out about call charges
Online
You can also ask a question or make a complaint online.
3. Comment on an appeal
Anyone can comment on an enforcement notice appeal. Find the case on the appeals casework portal.
The deadline for comments is 6 weeks after the start date of the appeal.
Read the detailed guidance about taking part in an appeal.
4. After you appeal
The Planning Inspectorate will check your appeal to make sure it’s valid. They’ll tell you the start date, what happens next and how long your appeal may take.
The Planning Inspectorate will then consider your appeal. Check how long planning appeal decisions normally take.
If anyone behaves unreasonably
You can apply for an ‘award of costs’ if anyone involved in your appeal has cost you money by behaving unreasonably, for example missing deadlines. You can have costs awarded against you too.
You can complain about how the Planning Inspectorate handled your appeal. There’s no time limit for complaints.
5. If you disagree with the appeal decision
You can challenge the decision in the High Court if you think the Planning Inspectorate made a legal mistake.
Get advice from a lawyer if you’re unsure about this.