Planning objection advice
How planning decisions are actually made, what a case officer can and cannot take into account, and how to make an objection that carries weight.
Start hereHow to Object to a Planning Application
A step by step guide to objecting to a planning application in England: finding the reference, the deadline, what counts as a valid ground, and how to submit.
7 min read
Deciding whether to object
Whether you have a case, how long you have, and what a council is actually allowed to take into account.
- Do Planning Objections Actually Work?An honest look at when objections change a planning decision, when they do not, and why the number of letters received matters far less than people think.6 min
- Do AI Planning Objections Actually Work? An Honest AnswerPlanning officers have started discounting AI-written objections on sight. They have good reason to, and the usual remedy people suggest does not fix it.5 min
- Grounds for Objection: Valid Reasons to Object to Planning ApplicationsThe valid grounds for objection to a planning application, the reasons councils must ignore, and how to turn a concern that does not count into one that does.7 min
- How Long Do You Have to Object to a Planning Application?Consultation is usually 21 days, but most councils accept comments until the decision is made. How to find your real deadline, and what to do if it passed.4 min
Writing your objection
Structure, evidence, and the difference between a letter that gets answered and one that gets noted.
- How to Write a Planning Objection LetterHow to write a planning letter of objection a case officer has to answer: what to include, how to structure it, which policies to cite and where to send it.7 min
- Planning Application Objection Letter Template and Sample LetterA template you can copy for an objection letter to a planning application, a sample of how it reads when filled in, and why generic templates get ignored.5 min
Particular situations
Objecting to a neighbour, to a large housing scheme, or to development on protected land.
- Objecting to a Neighbour's Planning ApplicationHow to object to a neighbour's extension or loft conversion: what counts, what does not, how long you have, and whether they will know it was you.7 min
- How to Stop DevelopmentHow to object to a planning application using material considerations and the local plan, plus how to work with the case officer and organise neighbours.11 min
How the process works
What happens to your objection once it is submitted, and who decides what.