Recent statements in this category are shown below:
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Southampton City Council (25 022 649)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 30-Jun-2026
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council handled a planning application. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault to warrant an investigation, and an investigation by the Ombudsman is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.
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Manchester City Council (25 022 852)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 30-Jun-2026
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council conducted a consultation on its planning policy. The complaint is made too late and we have seen no reason why Mr X could not have complained to us much sooner.
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Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 30-Jun-2026
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the time taken by the Council to determine a planning application as the result of an alleged procedural error. Mrs X had a right of appeal to the Planning Inspector it would have been reasonable to use
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City of York Council (25 022 931)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 29-Jun-2026
Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about how the Council considered and its committee decided a planning application for the development of a site next to her property. There is not enough evidence of Council fault in the planning processes to warrant us investigating. We also cannot achieve the core planning outcome Mrs X seeks from the complaint.
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Middlesbrough Borough Council (25 013 902)
Statement Upheld Planning applications 28-Jun-2026
Summary: There was fault by the Council. The planning report for a planning application for a petrol filling station failed to record consideration of the noise impact and hours of operation. On the balance of probabilities, this fault has not affected the outcome of the planning application but has caused distress and uncertainty to Mr X. An apology and symbolic payment remedies the injustice caused.
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Wokingham Borough Council (25 013 839)
Statement Not upheld Planning applications 25-Jun-2026
Summary: We have ended our investigation into Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s determination of a planning application because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome from that already achieved by the Council’s actions.
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Thanet District Council (25 021 927)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 24-Jun-2026
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to approve a planning application for flats with no parking provision. Any injustice is not directly linked to the Council’s actions.
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Dover District Council (25 023 850)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 24-Jun-2026
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of the complainant’s planning application. The law does not allow us to investigate where the complainant has already used their right of appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. In addition, an investigation is unlikely to be able to establish whether officers acted with fault during conversations with the complainant.
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Statement Upheld Planning applications 23-Jun-2026
Summary: The Council was at fault for deciding that Mrs X’s neighbour did not need prior approval for an agricultural building without considering its planning enforcement investigation about that building. However, this did not cause Mrs X an injustice because the Council’s planning enforcement investigation about the building is ongoing.
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Statement Upheld Planning applications 23-Jun-2026
Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s handling of both a planning application for development near his home and his complaint about the matter. We found the Council failed to properly consider the impact of the development on Mr X’s home and avoidably delayed dealing with his complaint. The Council agreed to make a symbolic payment to Mr X in recognition of his avoidable distress, time and trouble caused by fault in both its planning decision making and complaint handling.