Manchester City Council (25 011 384)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 06-Jan-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of the complainant’s planning application. There is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council, and it is reasonable to expect the complainant to have used his right of appeal to the Planning Inspectorate if he disagreed with the amendments the Council requested.

Southend-on-Sea City Council (25 011 709)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Enforcement 06-Jan-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about planning enforcement. There is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to warrant investigation by us.

Leicester City Council (25 022 097)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Enforcement 06-Jan-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate Dr B’s complaint about a planning enforcement notice. This is because Dr B put in an appeal to the Planning Inspector.

Rother District Council (25 000 401)

Statement Not upheld Enforcement 06-Jan-2026

Summary: Mrs X complains the Council has not properly considered taking enforcement action against breaches of planning permission. The Council is not at fault.

Mid Suffolk District Council (24 020 511)

Statement Upheld Other 05-Jan-2026

Summary: We found fault on Mr Y’s complaint about the Council’s delay posting him a copy of an application form for a Certificate of Lawful Use and Existing Development. It also failed to deal with his initial complaint according to its complaints procedure. The apologies the Council gave him remedied any injustice caused. There was no fault on his remaining complaints.

Maidstone Borough Council (24 022 332)

Statement Upheld Planning applications 05-Jan-2026

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to process his planning application properly, causing delay, distress and financial loss. We found the Council to be at fault because there were avoidable errors in the planning consent that meant another application had to be made. To remedy the injustice to Mr X, the Council has agreed to apologise, refund the fee for the second application and make a symbolic payment in recognition Mr X’s distress and frustration.

Manchester City Council (24 023 475)

Statement Not upheld Building control 05-Jan-2026

Summary: Mr X complains about the way the Council removed a dangerous wall at his property and charged him the costs of the work. We find no evidence of fault in the way the Council dealt with the matter. So, we have completed our investigation.

Broadland District Council (25 001 111)

Statement Upheld Enforcement 05-Jan-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to take enforcement action regarding alleged breaches of planning conditions in respect of landscaping and tree planting as part of a nearby building development. Mrs X says the Council’s lack of enforcement action caused her significant avoidable frustration and stress. We found fault by the Council. The Council has agreed to provide an apology and financial remedy to Mrs X and take steps to prevent a recurrence of the identified fault.

London Borough of Ealing (25 006 687)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning advice 05-Jan-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council dealt with an application for a Lawful Development Certificate for Proposed Use or Development as it is made too late. We cannot investigate the complaint about the way the Council processed a planning application as the complainant appealed to the Planning Inspector. This is therefore outside our jurisdiction.

Liverpool City Council (24 011 399)

Statement Upheld Enforcement 23-Dec-2025

Summary: The complaint is on behalf of a residents’ group and about the Council planning team’s inaction over a breach of planning control. The Ombudsman finds the Council was not at fault for its decisions around how to deal with the breach it found. But there was fault by way of delay, not providing updates and not keeping records of key actions. This will have caused the residents some frustration and uncertainty. Delayed complaint responses led to avoidable time and trouble. The Council has agreed to apologise, provide an update and make a symbolic payment for the avoidable time and trouble.