You can appeal if:

• you do not agree with the decision or conditions imposed
• a decision has not issued within the relevant timescale
• you have been served an enforcement notice

Submit an appeal

All planning appeals must be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, a government body which deals with:

• planning appeals
• national infrastructure planning applications
• examinations of local plans
• other planning-related and specialist casework

Go to the Planning Inspectorate to:

• submit an appeal
• comment on an appeal
• get advice on planning appeals
• find out more about the appeal processes, types and commenting

Please note that once you submit an appeal to the Inspectorate for non-determination, the planning application can no longer be determined and will be closed whether the Inspectorate accepts the appeal or not.

Find and view appeals

Current appeal hearings and appeal inquiries have individual pages with their associated documents listed by their address here.

To find and view all appeals and documents go to our our Search Plans page. This includes information on appeals and the planning applications or enforcement notices they relate to, or to carry out general searches (such as looking for appeals of a certain type, within a time frame as follows).

To search by address or postcode:

• Use the map search, which identifies any relevant appeals, enforcement and planning applications on a site. The map also provides a link to the details and documents of cases you identify, as explained in How to Guide 2 (PDF).

To search by Reference number(s) or for general searches:

1. View and comment on planning applications, opens an advanced search screen.
2. Above the words Reference Numbers you will see three headings: Applications, Appeals, Enforcement. Click on Appeals and wait for the screen to refresh.
3. You can now search on Appeals using any of the fields shown such as: Date of Inspectorate Decision, appeal type, appeal process, appeals with a status of ‘Appeal In Progress’. You can also search by Ward or Parish and any of the date fields you choose. (The Appeal reference field is for the Bedford Borough reference no). These are a few examples of how you can research the database.
4. Once you have selected and input the information in the fields you want to search on, please click on Search.  
5. If there is more than one relevant Appeal, you will see a list. Please look through the cases and select the one you want or make a note of the reference numbers. If there is only one Appeal, the system will take you straight to the details screen. Once on this screen, you can then view the documents or details of the appeal. 
6. How to Guide 1 (PDF) provides assistance.
7. The Planning Inspectorate Reference is on the start date letter.
8. For historic applications before 1995 please refer to How to Guide 3 (PDF).

To find appeal decisions

1. Follow the instructions from 1-3 above in the section: To search by Reference number(s) or for general searches.
2. In the Dates section, input the dates you wish to select in the Date Inspectorate Decision field
3. Click on Search. A list of the decisions will show (where relevant).

For general enquiries or help with the website please see the How To Guides or contact planning@bedford.gov.uk or phone 01234 718068.

All documents are online, hard copies of documents incur a fee.

Accessibility requirements

We aim to give equal access to everyone and will make reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of disabled members of the public who wish to attend any meeting.

There is lift access to all meeting rooms, and there is an induction loop facility in the Council Chamber and a portable induction loop system is available for other meeting rooms.

 If sufficient notice is given, we may be able to arrange British Sign Language interpretation or preferred method of communication.

Please contact the Council's Access Officer on 01234 718565 or textphone 01234 718828 if you have any concerns regarding access and facilities.