The Planning Inspectorate is the independent body that handles planning appeals. Here's everything you need to know about how they work.
The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) is an executive agency of the UK government, operating independently from local planning authorities. It sits under the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and is responsible for handling planning and enforcement appeals, examinations of local development plans, and applications for nationally significant infrastructure projects. When you appeal a planning decision, it is the Planning Inspectorate — not your council — that makes the final, legally binding decision. They are headquartered in Bristol and operate across England.
Crucially, the Planning Inspectorate is genuinely independent. Inspectors are not employed by or accountable to local planning authorities. Their decisions are based on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the local development plan, and material planning considerations — not on the council's original reasoning. This independence is why around one in three planning appeals in England succeeds.
The majority of Planning Inspectorate casework consists of planning appeals — challenges to a council's decision to refuse planning permission, to grant permission with conditions the applicant considers unreasonable, or to fail to determine an application within the statutory 8-week period. These are known as Section 78 appeals under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
They also handle enforcement notice appeals (where a council has issued an enforcement notice alleging a breach of planning control), listed building consent appeals, and appeals relating to advertisements and telecommunications infrastructure. Local plan examinations — where an Inspector assesses whether a council's proposed Local Plan is sound and legally compliant — are a separate, major function of the Inspectorate. Nationally significant infrastructure projects such as large power stations, motorways, and major airports are also determined through the Inspectorate's infrastructure planning process.
An appointed Planning Inspector reviews the full case — your appeal statement, the council's questionnaire and statement, any third-party representations, and their own site visit. The Inspector assesses the proposal against the development plan for the area (primarily the council's Local Plan) and the NPPF, as well as any other material planning considerations. They are not bound by the council's original reasoning. An Inspector can disagree with the council's officer, find that the refusal reasons are not justified, and allow the appeal.
The Inspector's decision is issued as a formal decision letter that sets out their analysis of each issue and their conclusion. Decision letters are published on the Planning Inspectorate's website and are publicly searchable. They constitute useful precedent for future applications and appeals — both for your property and for comparable sites nearby.
Written representations are the most common procedure for householder appeals — both parties submit written statements, the Inspector conducts a site visit, and a decision is issued on the papers. This is the fastest route, typically taking 20–26 weeks from valid appeal submission. Hearings involve a structured discussion between the parties and the Inspector, used for more complex cases. Public inquiries — the most formal procedure with evidence and cross-examination — are used for major development proposals and are rarely appropriate for householder cases.
All appeal submissions are made through the Planning Inspectorate's online portal at appeals.planninginspectorate.gov.uk. You must submit your appeal within 12 weeks of the date of the council's refusal notice for householder applications (28 days for some application types — check your refusal notice carefully). The appeal is free to submit. You will need to provide your appeal statement, the original planning application documents, and the council's decision notice.
A Planning Decoder Site Intelligence Report includes a structured analysis of your refusal reasons and the arguments most likely to succeed with an Inspector, along with comparable decisions at nearby properties. This gives you a strong evidence-backed foundation for your written statement before you submit.
Planning Decoder can help you draft an appeal statement that directly addresses the Inspectorate's requirements.
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