After you appeal a planning decision

When you appeal to the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA), a person is assigned to your appeal. They’re known as a reporter.

They’ll either make the decision or make a recommendation to Scottish Ministers who’ll decide your appeal.

A case officer is also assigned to your appeal. They’re your point of contact at the DPEA.

When a reporter is assigned

The authority has 21 days to respond to your appeal and provide any other information. Your case officer will send you a copy at the same time.

If you want to comment on this, you have 14 days to do so.

The reporter can then either decide the appeal or decide they need more information.

If the reporter needs more information

They can:

• arrange an inspection of the site
• ask for further written submissions, if they need more information from anyone involved
• hold a hearing – where the reporter leads a discussion between you and anyone else involved
• hold an inquiry – this is a formal event to hear evidence, similar to a court case

Check what happens at an inspection, public hearing or inquiry on gov.scot.

When you'll get a decision

From receiving your appeal, the reporter will aim to decide within:

• 12 weeks, if they do not need further information, or if they arrange a site inspection
• 20 weeks, if they need further written submissions
• 40 weeks, if they hold a hearing
• 50 weeks, if they hold an inquiry

Getting an appeal decision

The reporter can:

• agree with the original decision
• change the original decision
• make a decision, if the authority failed to make one

You’ll get an appeal decision notice telling you the terms of the decision and the reasons for it.

Withdrawing or pausing your appeal

You can withdraw your appeal at any time before the reporter makes a decision.

You can also ask to temporarily pause the appeal. This is called a sist. Sists are only granted in exceptional circumstances.

To do this, contact the DPEA. Check how to contact the DPEA on their website.

Search for an existing planning appeal decision

You can search for a planning appeal or appeal decision on the DPEA website.

If an appeal decision was made more than 7 years ago, only some of the original appeal documents may be available.

If an appeal decision was made before 1 September 2002, contact the National Library of Scotland instead.