Sevenoaks District Council (20 008 951)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 22-Jan-2021

Summary: We will not investigate how the Council granted planning permission for development near the complainant’s home. We are unlikely to find evidence the decision was affected by fault.

Bromsgrove District Council (20 008 957)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 22-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s decision to change its definition of permitted development which resulted in his previous certificate of lawfulness applications being no longer valid. We should not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint. This is because it is reasonable for him to appeal the Council’s refusal of his applications to the Planning Inspectorate which is the proper authority to decide such appeals.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council (20 009 026)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 22-Jan-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with planning applications for a site in the area where the complainant lives. This is because the alleged fault has not caused the complainant any significant personal injustice.

Buckinghamshire Council (20 008 653)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 22-Jan-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with a planning application for a development near the complainant’s home. This is because it is unlikely we would find fault by the Council and the complainant has not been caused any significant injustice.

Sheffield City Council (20 005 857)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 22-Jan-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with a planning application for a development near the complainant’s home. This is because we are unlikely to find fault by the Council.

Shropshire Council (20 006 736)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 22-Jan-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the boundary between his property and a new residential development site. We have already investigated and decided the complaint about a boundary fence so this part is not a valid one for the Ombudsman to consider again. The complaint about damage to Mr X’s hedge is a private civil matter between him and the developer who took the action Mr X considers caused any damage.

Preston City Council (20 010 569)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 21-Jan-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint about the Council’s decision to grant planning permission for an extension to his neighbour’s property. This is because an investigation is unlikely to find the Council was at fault.

Milton Keynes Council (20 004 354)

Statement Not upheld Planning applications 21-Jan-2021

Summary: Mrs X says the Council did not directly notify tenants of properties she owns of a planning application. There was fault by the Council because it did not send notification letters to some of the properties. However, the fault did not lead to significant injustice as the Council publicised the application through a site notice.

Durham County Council (20 004 439)

Statement Upheld Planning applications 21-Jan-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s decision to grant permission for a new property near her home, part of a larger development, which is less than the usual separation distance from her house. It was an earlier appeal decision, made by the Planning Inspectorate on the outline application for the same site, which determined the location of the new house was acceptable in planning terms. We cannot go behind that decision, or criticise the Council for complying with it. There was fault by the Council in its report on the ‘reserved matters’ application and its communications. The Council has offered a suitable remedy for the injustice that fault caused Mrs X.

Cheltenham Borough Council (20 008 823)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 21-Jan-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of his neighbour’s planning application. This is because it is unlikely we would find fault affecting its decision.