Guide to taking part in advertisement appeals
16 Complaints and challenges
Complaints about us
If you have any complaints or questions about the decision, or the way we
have handled the appeal, please write to:
For sites in England
The Planning Inspectorate
Quality Assurance Unit
4/09 Kite Wing
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Temple Quay
Bristol
BS1 6PN
Phone: 0117 372 8252
Fax: 0117 372 8139
E-mail: complaints@pins.gsi.gov.uk
For sites in Wales
The Complaints Officer
The Planning Inspectorate
Crown Buildings
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ
Phone: 029 2082 3866
Fax: 029 2082 5150
E-Mail: wales@pins.gsi.gov.uk
We will investigate your complaint and you can expect a full reply within three
weeks. However, we can’t reconsider an appeal if we have already given a
decision on it. This can only happen if you successfully challenge the decision
in the High Court.
The High Court
The only way you can appeal against our decision, is for legal reasons in the
High Court. You must then appeal to the High Court. To be successful you
would have to show that:
- our officer, or the First Secretary of State, or in Wales the National
Assembly for Wales, had gone beyond their powers; - we had overlooked your rights under common law;
- we did not follow the proper procedures and so damaged your
interests.
If your challenge is successful, the High Court will overturn our original
appeal decision and return the case to us. We will look at the appeal again.
This does not necessarily mean that we will reverse our original decision. We
may come to the same decision but for different or more detailed reasons.
If you are going to challenge our decision, you must apply to the High Court
within six weeks from the date of our decision letter. We will send you a
leaflet explaining your right to challenge with our appeal decision letter.
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration
(the Ombudsman)
In England, if you think that we have not treated you fairly, you can ask the
Ombudsman to investigate. You can’t approach the Ombudsman direct - an
MP must do it for you. This does not have to be your MP but this will usually
be the easiest person to ask. Your local library will be able to give you the
name and address of your MP. The Ombudsman has no power to question the
merits of your appeal or to alter the decision. He or she is only concerned with
the way we deal with appeals. The Ombudsman will usually expect you to
have made a complaint to us first before he or she investigates your case.
The Welsh Administration Ombudsman
In Wales, if you think that we have not treated you fairly, you can ask the
Ombudsman to investigate. You can contact him or her directly, but the
Ombudsman will expect you to have made a complaint to us first before he or
she investigates your case.
The Administrative Justice & Tribunals Council
If you feel that there was something wrong with the basic procedure we used
for your appeal, you can complain to the Administrative Justice & Tribunals Council at:
81 Chancery Lane
London
WC2A 1BQ
The council will take up your complaint if they think it concerns them. Like
the Ombudsman, they are not concerned with the merits of your appeal and
have no power to alter the decision.
The Local Government Ombudsman
If you have a complaint about the way the LPA dealt with your planning
application, you can, in some cases, ask the Local Government Ombudsman to
investigate. However, the Local Government Ombudsman can’t investigate a
complaint about a planning decision just because you and the LPA do not
agree about it and the Ombudsman has no power to alter the decision. You can
get a booklet explaining how to make a complaint by writing to the appropriate
Local Government Ombudsman’s office.
There are three Local Government Ombudsmen in England and one in Wales.
Each of them deals with complaints from different parts of the country.
For Greater London:
Local Government Ombudsman
10th Floor
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Phone: 020 7217 4620
Fax: 020 7217 4621
For Surrey, Kent, Sussex, East Anglia, the south-west, the west, the south and
most of central England:
Local Government Ombudsman
The Oaks No 2
Westwood Way
Westwood Business Park
Coventry CV4 8JB
Phone: 02476 695 999
Fax: 02476 695 902
For Birmingham, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire,
Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and the north of England:
Local Government Ombudsman
Beverley House
17 Shipton Road
York YO30 5FZ
Phone: 01904 663 200
Fax: 01904 663 269
For Wales:
Local Government Ombudsman
Derwen House
Court Road
Bridgend
CF31 1BN
Phone 01656 661325
We also deal with other types of appeal.
If you are appealing against an enforcement notice, this is who you should
contact.
In England
Enforcement Appeals
The Planning Inspectorate
Room 3/10 Kite Wing
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Temple Quay
Bristol
BS1 6PN
Phone: 0117 372 8075
Fax: 0117 372 8782
In Wales
The Planning Inspectorate
Crown Buildings
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ
Phone: 029 2082 3866
Fax: 029 2082 5150
If you are appealing against being refused planning consent, this is who you
should contact.
In England
Planning Appeals
The Planning Inspectorate
Room 3/15 Eagle Wing
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Temple Quay
Bristol
BS1 6PN
Phone: 0117 372 8927
In Wales
The Planning Inspectorate
Crown Buildings
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ
Phone: 029 2082 3866
Fax: 029 2082 5150
