Grounds for appeal — and what won't work
You can appeal against a refusal, a non-determination (no decision within statutory period plus extension), or conditions imposed on a permission. The appeal must focus on planning grounds: that the council misapplied policy, ignored material considerations, gave inadequate weight to relevant factors, or imposed conditions that fail the six tests (necessary, relevant to planning, relevant to the development, enforceable, precise, reasonable). Appeals on the basis that 'the neighbours are unreasonable' or 'I really want this' get refused at the first sift. The Inspector is bound by the same National Planning Policy Framework and London Plan that the council applied — so unless you can show a defensible planning argument, the appeal won't succeed regardless of how strongly you feel.
The three appeal procedures
PINS offers three procedures based on the complexity of the case. Written representations is the standard route for householder appeals — you submit a statement, the council submits a rebuttal, you submit a final comment, and an Inspector decides on the papers, sometimes after a site visit. Informal hearings are used for medium-complexity cases involving design judgement or planning balance — a relaxed round-table session with the Inspector, council, applicant and any objectors. Public inquiries are reserved for major schemes, listed buildings, or politically contentious cases — formal, lawyer-led, with witness cross-examination. Around 90% of London householder appeals go to written representations.
Timelines and the householder fast-track
Householder appeals (refused householder applications) use the householder appeal service, which is faster: 12 weeks to lodge from the date of refusal, then PINS typically decides within 12–16 weeks. For full planning appeals via written representations, the realistic timeline in 2026 is 24–32 weeks from lodging to decision. Informal hearings add 4–8 weeks and inquiries can take 12–18 months. None of these timelines are guaranteed — PINS has chronic backlogs and around 30% of cases miss the published target. If timing matters (you have a build slot booked, a buyer waiting), the free-go resubmission is almost always faster than appealing.
Cost of appealing
There is no fee to lodge a planning appeal — PINS is funded centrally. But the real costs are professional: a planning consultant to draft your statement of case will charge £1,500–£4,000 for a householder appeal and £4,000–£15,000 for a full appeal with grounds, supporting evidence, and policy analysis. For hearings and inquiries add barrister fees of £500–£2,000 per day. Costs awards are rare in householder appeals but possible — if PINS finds the council acted unreasonably, costs can be awarded against the council (and very occasionally against the applicant if the appeal was hopeless). Budget £2,500 all-in for a competent householder appeal.
Success rates by appeal type and borough
Across England, around 32% of planning appeals are allowed. London is broadly similar at 31% for householder appeals and around 28% for full planning appeals. The variation by borough is significant: outer boroughs (Bromley, Havering, Sutton) sit around 35–40% success rates, suggesting their refusals are more marginal; inner boroughs with strong conservation policies (Camden, Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea) sit at 22–26%, reflecting that their refusals are usually well-grounded in adopted policy. Roof extensions in conservation areas have the lowest success rate (around 18%) — design judgement appeals are hard to win because the Inspector defers to the council's local character assessment.
Free-go resubmission as the better strategy
For most householder refusals, the smarter move is the 'free-go' resubmission rather than appeal. Under the planning fee regulations, you can submit a second application within 12 months of the original decision at no fee, provided it is on the same site and substantially the same scheme. If you address the specific refusal reasons (reduce the depth, change the materials, adjust the design), most London boroughs approve the second submission within 8 weeks. The free-go succeeds in around 60–70% of householder cases versus 31% for appeals, costs nothing in fees, and avoids 24 weeks of waiting.
