On 11th March 2009 planning minister Baroness Andrews announced a number of revisions to the planning appeal system.  The package of amendments is designed to make the process more efficient, proportionate and customer-focused.   Commenting on the changes, the chief executive of the Planning Inspectorate, Katrine Sporle, said: 

"These changes allow us to deliver real improvements in the time taken to determine appeals whilst maintaining the Planning Inspectorate’s reputation for quality decision making."

The main beneficiary of the changes is householder related development such as modest house extensions.  The new Householder Appeals Service will deal with written representation appeals for householder development and has been set up to ensure cases are determined far quicker with a reduction in documentation requirements.  Specifically, the LPA’s case will be reliant on its reasons for refusal whilst appellant will only be required to submit an appeal form (including their grounds of appeal), the original application form and the local planning authority's decision notice.  The 6 month time limit to appeal against refusal of householder consents has also been reduced to 12 weeks.

There are also some significant changes for general appeals cases.  In short, the Planning Inspectorate will now determine what method of appeal is appropriate for each case (written representations, a hearing or public inquiry).  However, relevant to this is the Inspector’s new ability to award costs in written representations cases.  Previously, applications for costs could only be made at hearings and inquiries.  A revised costs Circular has been published in this regard.

In addition, to speed up the appeal procedures and enable quicker decisions, the 9 week written comment or rebuttal statement stage it to be removed from hearings and inquiries cases.