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Free initial review
We review the refusal notice, plans and key planning issues and tell you whether an appeal is a sensible route.
Householder Planning Appeals
Householder Planning Appeals Refused? We'll tell you honestly if it's worth appealing.
Chartered planners for householder appeals in England. We review your refusal, choose the strongest route and prepare and submit your appeal to the Planning Inspectorate for a fixed fee.
RTPI Chartered Town Planner
Fixed-fee quotes
Honest prospects before you instruct us
Led by a Chartered Town Planner (MRTPI)
Fixed fees from £395
Free initial review
Householder appeals across England
Understanding Your Options
Householder Appeal Help After a Planning Refusal
A householder planning appeal challenges a council's refusal of an application for works to an existing home, such as an extension, loft conversion, dormer or outbuilding. The Planning Inspectorate decides it independently of the council.
Householder appeals are normally decided on paper, so the written case is what counts. We work from your actual refusal reasons, the relevant policies, the character of the site and street, and comparable decisions where they genuinely help.
If a revised application is a better route than an appeal, we will tell you. The first step is choosing the right strategy, not automatically appealing every refusal.
Applications submitted on or after 1 April 2026
These householder appeals normally begin under the Planning Inspectorate's simplified Part 1 written representations procedure. The Inspector generally decides using the material that was already before the council, together with the decision notice, officer or committee material, appeal form and the council's questionnaire.
There is normally no opportunity to submit a separate statement of case or new evidence, unless a limited exception applies. We confirm which procedure applies to your case in your free review.
Householder appeals we handle
- Single-storey extensions
- Two-storey extensions
- Loft conversions
- Rear dormers
- Hip-to-gable alterations
- Garages and outbuildings
- Porches and garden rooms
- Material or window changes
Refusal reasons we challenge
- Character and design objections
- Overlooking and privacy concerns
- Loss of light and outlook
- 45-degree or similar local guidance
- Scale, massing and overdevelopment
- Inconsistent treatment of comparable development
How It Works
From Refusal to Inspector's Decision
Send us your decision notice and refused plans. We handle the rest of the householder appeal process.
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Procedure and fixed fee
We confirm which appeal procedure applies and what evidence can properly be relied on, then give you a fixed fee.
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Research and preparation
We review the development plan, local guidance, planning history and comparable decisions, then prepare your appeal case in line with the procedure that applies.
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Submission and decision
We submit the appeal, manage procedural correspondence where included in scope, and explain the Inspector's decision when it arrives.
Householder Appeal Case Study
Hip-to-Gable Roof Extension and Rear Dormer Approved at Appeal
A South Birmingham refusal overturned by the Planning Inspectorate after detailed evidence on local character and comparable decisions.
The Planning Case
Refusal overturned following detailed evidence on local character.
The council refused a hip-to-gable roof extension and rear dormer on character and visual impact grounds. We reviewed the streetscene and planning history, identified similar roof alterations nearby and found a directly relevant allowed appeal on the same street.
The appeal case addressed the refusal reasons directly and explained why the proposal fitted the established character of the area.
Read the full case study (opens in a new tab)
The Outcome
Planning permission granted at appeal.
The Planning Inspector allowed the appeal, overturning the council's refusal and granting the permission required for the works.
What Made the Difference
- Comparable appeal research
- Evidence of similar alterations nearby
- Focused analysis of the refusal reason
- A clear, structured written case
Another Birmingham appeal: 45-degree rule refusal overturned
We also secured permission at appeal for a single-storey rear extension where the council had refused it by relying on its 45-degree guidance. The appeal challenged how the guidance had been applied and showed why the extension would not cause unacceptable harm to neighbouring living conditions.
Read the 45-degree appeal case study (opens in a new tab)
Appeal or Resubmit?
Is an Appeal the Right Route for Your Refusal?
We do not recommend an appeal just because an application has been refused. We look at whether the refusal can actually be challenged on planning grounds.
An appeal may suit you if
- You believe the council misapplied policy or local guidance
- The refusal reasons look weak against the evidence
- Similar development has been allowed nearby or at appeal
- You want to keep the scheme as it is
- You are still within the appeal deadline
A revised application may be better if
- The refusal identifies a genuine problem that a modest design change would solve
- The scheme has clear policy conflicts that are hard to argue away
- You are willing to adjust the design to secure a quicker route to permission
- The appeal deadline has passed
Not sure which category you fall into? That is exactly what the free review is for. Send us your decision notice and we will give you a straight view before you commit to anything.
Why Cedar Planning
Chartered Planners, Fixed Fees, Honest Advice
Chartered town planners
Appeal work is led by Dan Malloy MRTPI, with over ten years' experience across local authority and private practice.
Honest prospects
If a revised application looks stronger than an appeal, we will say so before you spend money on the wrong route.
Fixed fee, agreed upfront
You receive a defined scope and fee before instruction, with householder appeal fees starting from £395 for suitable cases.
Common Questions
Householder Planning Appeal FAQs
How long do I have to appeal a householder refusal?
For most householder applications in England, you must submit your appeal within 12 weeks of the date on the decision notice. Late appeals are generally not accepted, so it is worth getting your refusal reviewed as soon as you receive it.
Is there a Planning Inspectorate fee for a householder appeal?
No. There is no Planning Inspectorate fee for a householder appeal. Our fee covers the professional work of reviewing your case, preparing the appeal and managing the process.
Should I appeal or submit a revised application?
It depends on the refusal reasons, the planning history and how much you are prepared to change the design. An appeal is usually strongest where the council has misapplied policy or guidance. A revised application can be quicker where a modest change would resolve the objection. We will advise on both.
Can you guarantee my appeal will succeed?
No. The Planning Inspectorate decides every appeal independently, and nobody can guarantee the outcome. What we can do is give you an honest view of your prospects before you instruct us, and prepare the strongest case the planning policy and evidence allow.
What do I need to send you?
Your decision notice and the refused plans are enough to start. If you have the officer's report, the application documents or any correspondence with the council, send those too, but we can usually find them on the council's planning portal.
What does the fixed fee from £395 cover?
Fees start from £395 for suitable householder appeals. The final figure depends on the refusal reasons, the planning history, the complexity of the case and the appeal procedure that applies. You receive a fixed-fee quote with a clear scope before you instruct us.
Do you cover my area?
Yes. We act on householder appeals across England and understand how local design guidance and decision-making approaches vary between councils.
Has Your Householder Application Been Refused?
Complete the form below with your details and attach your decision notice and refused plans. We will review the refusal, tell you whether an appeal is realistic, confirm which procedure applies and provide a fixed-fee quote.
Get Your Free Appraisal
Fill out the form below to receive a no obligation assessment of your chances of success at appeal. If we consider that an appeal is feasible, then we will provide you with a no-obligation fixed fee quote for our services, with no hidden extras or fees.
Or alternatively, send us an email at info@cedarplanning.co.uk with the relevant information.
From the Cedar Planning blog
Read all 6 appeal articles
