Buckinghamshire Council (23 007 676)
Category : Planning > Planning applications
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 06 Aug 2024
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the grant of planning permission as the matter is out of time.
The complaint
- Ms X complains about the grant of planning permission for an extension to a neighbour’s property.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Ms X complains about the grant of planning permission for a neighbour’s one storey extension. The Council granted planning permission in August 2022 after Ms X objected to the planning application. Ms X complained to the Council in July 2023 and the Council gave their final response in October 2023.
- I see no reason why a complaint could not have been made to this office within 12 months of the grant of planning permission. Nor could a meaningful remedy be achieved after so long in our view.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because the complaint is out of time.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman