London Borough of Barnet (25 024 924)
Category : Planning > Planning applications
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 18 Aug 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of a planning application. This is because it is not yet possible to decide if X has suffered a significant injustice to justify us investigating.
The complaint
- X complains about the Council’s handling of a planning application. They say the Council has not properly considered their objections, planning guidance or other material considerations. They say the proposed development will have a significant impact on them and the area.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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 any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by X.
- I also considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- The Council has not yet granted permission for the planning application. It is in the process of finalising a legal agreement before it can issue a formal decision.
- We cannot say whether the Council will grant planning permission in the circumstances. Therefore, any injustice that X claims is speculative and insufficient to justify us investigating at this stage. X may make a new complaint to us if the Council grants planning permission in the future. They would need to complain to the Council in the first instance before we could consider the matter.
Final decision
- We will not investigate X’s complaint because the Council has not yet granted planning permission and therefore the injustice claimed is not significant enough to justify us investigating.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman