What Reasons Can Planning Permission Be Refused?

Planning permission can be refused for a wide range of reasons — not all of them obvious. Understanding what councils look for can help you avoid costly mistakes and delays. Here are the most common reasons why applications get knocked back.

Incomplete Applications

One of the most basic — but surprisingly common — reasons for refusal is submitting an incomplete application. This includes:

• Missing site or location plans

• Inaccurate or outdated drawings

• No ownership certificates

• Failing to pay the correct fee

Councils won’t validate your application unless all required documents are included. If your application isn’t validated, it won’t even be considered.

Loss of Privacy                  

Councils will usually refuse applications that lead to a significant loss of privacy for neighbouring properties. This could involve:

• Overlooking gardens or rear windows

• Installing balconies or roof terraces

• Using side-facing windows with clear glazing

Even if your project is small, the impact on neighbours’ amenity and living conditions matters. Frosted glass, screens, or repositioning windows can sometimes solve the issue.

Potential Damage to a Host Building

If your proposed development is attached to or affects an existing structure, especially a listed building or flat, the council may refuse it on the grounds of structural risk or heritage harm.

Examples include:

• Extensions that strain the structural integrity of older buildings

• Alterations to listed façades or materials

• Works that breach leasehold arrangements in flats

In such cases, you may need additional reports (e.g. structural surveys) or listed building consent.

Negative Effect on Local Amenities

If your development puts pressure on local infrastructure — schools, doctors, parks, etc. — it may be refused. This usually applies to:

• Larger residential schemes

• Conversions into HMOs

• Commercial developments with high footfall

Sometimes the council will accept the proposal if a Section 106 agreement or Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) contribution is made — but not always.

Detrimental Effect on the Character of the Local Area

Designs that don't fit the character of the area are commonly refused. Councils assess:

• Materials and finishes

• Rooflines and scale

• Setbacks and building lines

• Landscaping and layout

Even a modern, high-quality build can be rejected if it clashes too much with the existing street scene — particularly in conservation areas or near heritage buildings.

Traffic and Parking Pressures

A development that causes traffic congestion, safety concerns, or insufficient parking is often blocked. Councils may consider:

• Existing traffic levels

• Access for emergency services

• Parking stress in the area

• Visibility and road safety at entry points

They may also expect developments to meet Local Plan transport policies or provide travel plans for larger schemes.

Issues with Design

Poor-quality or overly ambitious design can lead to refusal. This includes:

• Overdevelopment of the site

• Awkward layouts or cramped spaces

• Dominating extensions

• Inappropriate materials

Even under permitted development, bad design can trigger refusal if prior approval is required (e.g. larger home extensions under neighbour consultation rules).

Impact on the Surrounding Area

Beyond direct neighbours, councils assess how the development affects the wider environment, including:

• Views and skylines

• Natural light and overshadowing

• Trees and green space

• Wildlife or biodiversity

If a development harms public views, blocks light to communal areas, or impacts natural features, it’s likely to be refused.

Lack of Compliance with Planning Policy

Every council has a Local Plan, plus national planning policy (NPPF) to follow. Applications that don’t align with these policies are usually refused.

Typical non-compliance issues include:

• Building in protected green belt land

• Ignoring height or density limits

• Failing to provide required affordable housing or sustainability measures

Planners are legally bound to consider these policies when making decisions.

Violation of Conditions Set Out in the General Permitted Development Order

Even developments that fall under permitted development rights can be refused if they breach specific conditions or limitations within the General Permitted Development Order (GPDO). Examples include:

• Extensions that are too tall or project too far

• Materials that don’t match the existing house

• Eaves height limits being exceeded

• Building in restricted areas like conservation zones

You might not need full planning permission, but if your project doesn’t meet the PD criteria, it’s automatically considered a breach.

Lack of Justification or Supporting Evidence

Even if a proposal seems reasonable, it can be refused if you don’t justify your decisions. Examples:

• No design & access statement when one is expected

• No ecological report for work near protected habitats

• No flood risk assessment in flood-prone zones
  If a policy or national guideline might apply, the council will expect you to proactively address it — or they may refuse by default.

Precedent Concerns

Sometimes a council refuses permission not because the proposal is harmful on its own, but because it could set a precedent for future applications. This is common when:

• Building in open countryside

• Proposing development on small garden plots

• Converting garages or outbuildings in a uniform estate

Planning isn’t about "fairness" — it’s about policy and control, and councils will avoid opening the door to a flood of copycat applications.

Failure to Engage with Pre-Application Advice

Most councils offer pre-app advice, and while it’s optional, ignoring it can backfire. If the council suggested changes or flagged risks and you press ahead unchanged, your chances of refusal are higher — and an appeal may be harder to win.

Protected Species or Trees on Site

Applications are often refused if work affects:

• Bats, birds, or badgers

• Trees with preservation orders (TPOs)

Even pruning or removing a tree can lead to refusal if you don’t include an arboricultural report. Wildlife protections under UK law are strict — and not always obvious from a site inspection.

Over-reliance on Permitted Development Assumptions

Some applicants assume their project must be approved because it’s "similar to" a neighbour’s extension or seems minor. But:

• Each site has different context

• Council policies may have changed

• What’s permitted under one rule can be refused under another (e.g. Article 4 Direction areas)

Never assume — always check current policy and guidance.

Failure to Consider Drainage or Flooding

For extensions, basements, or developments near water, councils can refuse applications that fail to show:

• How surface water will be managed

• Whether nearby drainage systems can handle extra load

• That there’s no increase in flood risk to surrounding areas

Even small builds can trigger these concerns.

Previous Planning History

If there’s a history of similar applications being refused on the site, and nothing material has changed, the council may reject it again. Always check the planning history and refer to it in your application — ideally showing how you've addressed past reasons for refusal.