Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council (20 004 451)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning advice 12-Oct-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s failure to advise him about work required to address a leak and damp at his listed property. This is because it is unlikely we would find fault by the Council. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s delay in determining his listed building consent application as it would have been reasonable for him to appeal.

Spelthorne Borough Council (20 004 284)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning advice 09-Oct-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to charge the complainant for a Community Infrastructure Levy. This is because he is unlikely to find fault by the Council. The complainant also had a right of appeal if she disagreed with the Council’s calculations.

Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (19 014 078)

Statement Not upheld Planning advice 24-Sep-2020

Summary: Mrs C complained about the Council's pre-application planning advice which she says led to unnecessary time and expense in pursuing an application which was unlikely to be successful. The Ombudsman has found no evidence of fault by the Council.

South Somerset District Council (20 003 551)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning advice 22-Sep-2020

Summary: Mrs X complains a Council officer lied throughout the planning process, including to the planning committee, when it considered her retrospective planning application. She says this led the committee to refuse her application. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint. It is outside our jurisdiction because Mrs X has appealed to the Planning Inspectorate against the Council’s refusal of her application.

Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council (20 002 707)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning advice 08-Sep-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s failure to visit his property as part of its pre-application planning advice service. This is because it is unlikely we would find fault by the Council causing Mr X significant injustice.

Tandridge District Council (20 002 645)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning advice 08-Sep-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s failure to inform him in advance of its decision on his client’s planning application. This is because it is unlikely we would find fault causing Mr X significant injustice.

Leeds City Council (20 002 278)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning advice 07-Sep-2020

Summary: Mr X says the Council has colluded with a former councillor to frustrate his planning applications. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint. We are unlikely to find fault in the Council’s actions and Mr X has the right to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.

Mid Suffolk District Council (20 002 093)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning advice 20-Aug-2020

Summary: Mrs X complains about the quality of the pre-planning application advice given to her by the Council. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint as we are unlikely to find fault in the Council’s action. And Mrs X had a right of appeal to the Planning Inspector.

Central Bedfordshire Council (19 012 262)

Statement Upheld Planning advice 10-Aug-2020

Summary: Mr X complained the Council’s pre-application planning advice was incorrect and the Council had not followed procedure. We have found fault causing delays to Mr X’s project. The Council has acknowledged some service failures and has agreed to refund Mr X his planning fees. We consider this to be a satisfactory outcome.

North Lincolnshire Council (20 001 615)

Statement Upheld Planning advice 07-Aug-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s failure to respond to her pre-application planning enquiry. This is because the Council has provided a suitable remedy for the complaint.