What’s the next step if our planning application is rejected?

We’ve put in three planning submissions to the local council for a single storey, side and rear extension to our home. The first two were refused and we are currently waiting on the decision for the latest one.

We own a semi-detached property and the proposed addition will make the width of the back of our house the same as that of the front. The main reason for refusal has to do with our neighbour on the semi-detached side, who is concerned about loss of light to his home. We have now made compromises with regards to the shape and height of the structure to accommodate this issue.

I’d like to know if there are any legal avenues available to us if our plans get rejected again, and whether local authorities have to abide by the national guidelines. Planning law requires councils to base decisions on the policies of their Local Plan, unless any material considerations dictate otherwise. e government’s guidelines in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) are, in fact, a material consideration and must be viewed alongside the local policies.

If your third application is refused, it might be time to consider an appeal. However, you should seek professional advice from a planning consultant if you are contemplating this route, as they’ll be able to fully prepare your case. You haven’t mentioned permitted development (PD) here. As this type of extension often falls within PD rights, the way forward should include careful consideration of what you could do without formal planning permission, alongside the merits of the schemes that apparently do need consent.