Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about planning permission because there is insufficient injustice to warrant investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about the grant of planning permission for a neighbour’s extension.

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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 impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide:

• there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
• any fault has not caused injustice to the person who complained, or
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. The Council granted planning permission for a neighbour of Mr X’s to build a part single and part two storey extension to their house. Mr X says that it is overdevelopment and spoils the character of the area.
6. Mr X lives two doors from the development and does no, in my view, have his amenity affected by the extension eg there is no evidence of overlooking or loss of privacy.
7. Our role is to consider complaints where the person bringing the complaint has suffered significant personal injustice as a direct result of the actions or inactions of the organisation. This means we will normally only investigate a complaint where the complainant has suffered serious loss, harm, or distress as a direct result of faults or failures. We will not normally investigate a complaint where the alleged loss or injustice is not a serious or significant matter.
8. I do not therefore consider that the injustice claimed by Mr X is sufficient to warrant investigation.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient injustice to warrant investigation.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman