Summary
Planning appeals matter because a refused application or an application not decided in time can still come back through the Planning Inspectorate. A buyer should not stop monitoring simply because the council refused permission. The appeal may continue after offer, exchange or completion.
Historically, many appeals were tracked through the Appeals Casework Portal. England is moving to the newer Appeal a Planning Decision service, so buyers should check both the appeal service and the Appeals Casework Portal where appropriate, especially for older or transitional cases. The fastest searches are usually by appeal reference, application reference, site address or postcode. Buyers should read the appeal start letter, appellant statement, council statement, interested party comments, inspector decision and any linked documents.
Definition
A planning appeal is a challenge to a local planning authority decision, or to non determination, handled by the Planning Inspectorate. The Appeals Casework Portal is the legacy online system used to search and track many appeal cases, while newer cases may sit in the newer Appeal a Planning Decision service.