Summary: Mr X complains about a planning application for a large residential development. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because the planning application has not yet been determined and so the injustice is speculative.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about a planning application for a large residential development.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word ‘fault’ to refer to these. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint. I refer to this as ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we believe:

• it is unlikely we would find fault, or
• the fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained, or
• the injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I have considered the comments of the complainant and the Council and the complainant has had an opportunity to comment on the draft decision.,

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What I found

4. Mr X is unhappy with the way a planning application for a large residential development has been considered by the Council.
5. The Council’s website states that the planning application has yet to be determined.
6. The Ombudsman considers that no significant personal injustice can be caused by a planning application and so there are no grounds for investigation at this point. Mr X may make a complaint to this office when the planning permission is determined if he remains unhappy.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman