Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about planning permission because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains that the Council granted planning permission for an extension which causes him a loss of light.

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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. Mr X complains about a planning application for a one storey extension by a neighbour. The planning application was granted in 2025.
6. Mr X says that the extension causes a loss of light to his property.
7. The Planning Officer noted in the report that the extension was to the south of Mr X’s house and was satisfied that no loss of amenity (including loss of light) was caused to Mr X or other neighbours.
8. Our role is not to ask whether an organisation could have done things better, or whether we agree or disagree with what it did. Instead, we look at whether there was fault in how it made its decisions. If we decide there was no fault in how it did so, we cannot ask whether it should have made a particular decision or say it should have reached a different outcome.
9. The Ombudsman is not an appeal body. This means we do not take a second look at a decision to decide if it was wrong. Instead, we look at the processes an organisation followed to make its decision. If we consider it followed those processes correctly, we cannot question whether the decision was right or wrong, regardless of whether you disagree with the decision the organisation made.
10. I have considered the steps the organisation took to consider the issue, and the information it took account of when granting planning permission. There is no fault in how it took the decision and I therefore cannot question whether that decision was right or wrong.

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Final decision

11. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman