What you pay, and what for
Our fee starts at £495. For that we read the refusal and the officer's report, test each reason for refusal against the policies it relies on, and write the appeal statement that the Inspector reads. Where the drawings need a small change to answer a reason, we prepare it.
An appeal is decided by an Inspector on the planning merits, so we do not quote odds, and nobody can promise the outcome.
The deadline that cannot move
The time limit runs from the date of the decision notice, not the day it reaches you. A householder appeal must be made within 12 weeks; for most other applications it is six months. Miss it and the right to appeal may be lost, which is why the first thing we ask for is the date on the notice.
If the clock is running short, tell us at once, so the plan starts with the date.
How long an appeal takes
Appeals are decided by the Planning Inspectorate, not the council. Its latest release says the median decision time for planning cases was 18 weeks in June 2026, and 19 weeks over the 12 months to June. Allow for that before you tell a builder to start.
Those are national figures across all appeals; a householder case may be quicker or slower, and nobody can name a date for yours.
Appeal, or amend and reapply?
An appeal suits a refusal you think the officer got wrong. If the reasons are about the scheme itself, such as height, overlooking or a detail, a revised design and a new application often reach the answer sooner. A second application to the same council costs the council's fee again, £548 for a householder scheme, but its decision period is eight weeks.
We set out both routes in plain words, with timings, and tell you which we would take. Details of what we write are on our planning appeals page.
Where to start
Send the decision notice and the officer's report. We read both and tell you, free, whether an appeal looks worth making and what it will involve.
The figures, with sources
12 weeks
Time limit to appeal the refusal of a householder application, counted from the decision notice.
Source: Development Management Procedure Order 2015, article 37, checked 15 Oct 2026
6 months
Time limit for appeals against most other decisions, from the notice or the end of the decision period.
Source: Development Management Procedure Order 2015, article 37(2)(d), checked 15 Oct 2026
18 weeks
Median time to decide planning appeal cases in June 2026.
Source: Planning Inspectorate statistical release, 30 July 2026, checked 25 Oct 2026
19 weeks
Median decision time for planning appeal cases over the 12 months to June 2026.
Source: Planning Inspectorate statistical release, 30 July 2026, checked 25 Oct 2026
£548
Council charge for a fresh householder application if you amend and reapply.
Source: Ribble Valley Borough Council, national fee table from 1 April 2026, checked 17 Oct 2026
8 weeks
Statutory period for a council to decide a non-major application.
Source: Development Management Procedure Order 2015, article 34, checked 15 Oct 2026
Questions
Where do I find the date of the decision?
On the decision notice the council sent you, which is also on the council's planning portal. The 12 weeks run from that date, so send it to us first.
Will you promise the appeal succeeds?
No. No honest adviser can. We tell you how strong the grounds look and what the alternatives are.
Does the price include new drawings?
The statement is included. If the scheme needs amending, we quote the drawings first and you decide.
Did you have to draw the original application?
No. We work from whoever's drawings were refused, and read the officer's report first.
The fee for planning appeal (householder)
What you get
- A reading of the refusal and the officer's report
- Each reason tested against the policy it cites
- A written appeal statement for the Inspector
- Amended drawings quoted separately if needed
- A view on whether to appeal or reapply
