Publicity for planning application

• This note describes the statutory publicity requirements before a planning application can be determined.

• When an application has been approved without the proper publicity requirements, it is possible to complain to the local Government Ombudsman, who might pay a modest amount of compensation in certain cases, but not revoke the planning consent.

• The Labour Government required local authorities to publicise applications on the internet. However, they did not remove the obligation to advertise applications in local newspapers as well.