Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to grant planning permission for a multi storey car park in the town where the complainant lives. The complainant has not suffered a significant personal injustice which warrants an investigation.

The complaint

1. The complainant, I will call Mr D says the Council should not have granted planning permission for a multi storey car park in the town centre. He says it is an eyesore and has ruined the area.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse effect on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start an investigation if the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met.

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

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Mr D and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. In 2018, the Council granted planning permission for a development including a multi-storey car park in the centre of the town where Mr D lives. M D says it is an eyesore and has ruined the area.
6. Mr X does not live close to the car park and although he does not like the car park, it has not had a significant impact on him personally. Therefore, according to our Assessment Code this complaint does not qualify for investigation.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mr D’s complaint because he has not suffered a significant personal injustice which warrants investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman