This page explains more about the appeal process for:
- applicants who wish to make an appeal following a planning decision, or the non-determination of an application within statutory deadlines or anyone served an Enforcement notice.
- members of the public/interested parties and how/if you can be involved.
Please note you cannot appeal a planning decision.
Who conducts appeals
The Planning Inspectorate deals with:
- planning appeals
- national infrastructure planning applications
- examinations of local plans
- other planning-related and specialist casework
- call in applications on behalf of the Secretary of State
Please see Make an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate and associated guidance for information about how to:
- submit an appeal
- comment on an appeal
- get advice on planning appeals
Who can appeal
Only the person who made the application or an individual / company with an interest in the land on which an enforcement notice has been served, can appeal within strict deadlines detailed on the Planning Inspectorate's website and on planning application decision notices.
You can appeal if:
- your planning application was refused
- you do not agree with conditions imposed on a planning permission
- the decision has not been issued within the relevant timescales - known as a non-determination appeal. Once an appeal has been submitted 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.
- you have been served an enforcement notice
How is an appeal processed
Appeals are determined via one of the following procedures:
- a written representation fast track (part 1 expedited)
- a written representation (part 2)
- a hearing / inquiry (as explained below)
The Planning Inspectorate will ultimately decide which process to adopt. Most appeals made in relation to applications submitted on or after 1 April 2026 will follow the Part 1 written representations procedure.
Lodged appeal:
The appellant/agent will submit an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate and forward their paperwork to the local planning authority by email.
The appeal will be lodged and the Inspectorate will check the appeal.
In progress appeal:
Once the Inspectorate has checked and validated the appeal, a start date letter/email will be sent to the local planning authority to notify of the appeal process and the time scales. The local planning authority will then supply the Inspectorate with all the documents, comments, policies, and details of the application/enforcement notice.
The appeal will be visible online with the documentation supplied by the Planning Inspectorate and appellant. Further documents may be added during the appeal depending on the type of appeal and appeal process.
Acknowledgement letters will be sent to all statutory/interested parties advising of the process, where to view the documents and where to send comments if relevant. The letters contain the Bedford Borough Council’s planning or enforcement reference that is being appealed, the appeal reference and the Planning Inspectorate reference.
Written representation part 1 (fast track)
The Inspector will decide the appeal based on written material provided by all parties. There is no opportunity for the appellant to submit new evidence and no opportunity for the Council to make further representations. The Inspector will usually visit the appeal site although in some cases the visit may be undertaken by a representative of the Inspector. Interested parties are unable to make comments on these appeals. The Council will forward any comments made by interested parties in relation to the original planning application to the Inspector.
Written representation part 2
Most appeals made in relation to planning applications submitted after the 1st April 2026 will be determined as written representation part 1 fast track appeals. Appeals relating to listed building consent, non-determined appeals, enforcement notices and discontinance notices will follow this Part 2 procedure (and any others the Planning Inspectorate decides should follow this procedure).
The Inspector will decide the appeal based on written material provided by all parties. The appellant has the opportunity to submit a ‘Statement of Case’ and the Council can submit a ‘Statement of Case’ in response. Interested parties can submit comments to the Planning Inspectorate in relation to these appeals.
Hearings and inquiries
A hearing is a structured discussion led by the Inspector which may include a discussion at the site, or the site may be visited on an accompanied (without any discussion), or unaccompanied basis. Written submissions are made by both parties ahead of the hearing and interested parties may also comment on the appeal or attend and speak at the hearing (at the discretion of the Inspector).
An inquiry is the most formal of the procedures. Although it is not a court of law the proceedings will often seem to be quite similar. An inquiry is open to the public and provides for the investigation into, and formal testing of, evidence, usually through the questioning (“cross examination”) of expert witnesses and other witnesses.
For both hearings and inquiries:
- Letters will be sent out to all interested parties confirming the date, location and time of the event and providing further details about this process.
- An advert will be placed in the local press to advise of the above. This Notice is also published online with the documents for the appeal labelled APPEAL ADVERT. To view this for all the details of the inquiry/hearing go to the section Find and view appeals below.
- You may wish to consider Rule 6 status. If, having read the guidance, you wish to apply for Rule 6 status it is essential that you contact the Planning Inspectorate immediately.
If you wish to comment on an appeal
If you wish to Comment on an appeal you must send any comments to ensure that they are received by the Planning Inspectorate within the timescale given.
Comments can be submitted online or in paper to the Planning Inspectorate using its appeal reference.
Please do not send any appeal comments to Bedford Borough Council.
Instructions on how to make a comment on an appeal are contained within the acknowledgement letters sent out or can be at found on the Enter the appeal reference number - Comment on a planning appeal webpages on Planning Inspectorate’s website
If you have not had a letter please refer to the Public Access planning website for the details you need such as: the Inspectorate’s reference and the date to comment by contained within the START DATE letter / email published online in the Documents section. Find out more about viewing appeals below. You can find the appeal by address or reference including the original planning permission or enforcement notice application number.
During the appeal
Appeals can be withdrawn by the appellant or procedures may change or appeals deferred as examples. If these types of changes occur interested parties will be notified.
Appeal decisions
Once the Inspector has assessed all the information available and carried out a site visit (where relevant) they will make a decision on the appeal. This will be published on the Planning Inspectorate’s Website and the Council’s website, see the section below, Find and View Appeals. If an appeal is allowed, the Inspector may impose planning conditions that will need to be discharged with the local planning authority and can be accompanied by a S106 agreement if the development requires it. Find out more about S106 agreements.
What happens next
The Inspector’s decision is final and can only be challenged through the High Court. If a challenge is made and the appeal decision is quashed and is to be redetermined, all interested parties will be notified.
To view the decision notice or the Guide to ‘Taking Part in Planning Appeals’ please go to the appeal or search for a planning decision notice on Planning Inspectorate website.
Accessibility requirements for inquiries and hearings
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 us if you have any concerns regarding access and facilities.
Find and view appeals
Go to the Planning Inspectorate website or view on Bedford Borough Council website as below:
On our Search Plans page you can find information on appeals, 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 timeframe 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). You can also search on our online database and the Simple Search
To search by reference number(s) or for general searches / research:
- View and comment on planning applications opens an advanced search screen.
- Above the words ‘Reference Numbers’ you will see three headings: Applications, Appeals, Enforcement. Click on Appeals and wait for the screen to refresh.
- 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). The Planning Inspectorate reference is on the start date letter and any communications sent out
Examples of how you can research the database.
- Once you have selected and input the information in the fields you want to search on, please click on Search.
- 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.
- How to Guide 1 (PDF) and How to Guide 1A provide assistance.
- For historic applications before 1995 please refer to How to Guide 3 (PDF).
Find appeal decisions
- Follow the instructions from 1-3 above in the section: To search by reference number(s) or for general searches.
- In the Dates section, input the dates you wish to select in the Date Inspectorate Decision field
- Click on Search. A list of the decisions will show (where relevant).
- You can also find Appeal decisions on the Planning Inspectorate's website.
For general enquiries or help with the website please see the How To Guides and the general overview page www.bedford.gov.uk/contactplanning.