Costs Awards in Planning Appeals
Q13 What about third parties?
Generally speaking, parties other than the appellant and the local planning authority who appear at an inquiry (or hearing) - neighbours, for example, or local amenity societies - will rarely be involved in claims for costs. If third parties choose to participate in appeal proceedings, they do so on their own initiative. For example, they may wish to appear at an inquiry (or hearing), in support of the planning authority's refusal of planning permission. Only in exceptional circumstances - for instance, where an inquiry has to be adjourned unnecessarily because of the unreasonable behaviour of a third party or of another party - will third parties have any grounds for claiming costs, or be likely to face claims against them.
