11/08/2026
On 1 April 2026, the planning appeal system in England changed fundamentally. The Town and Country Planning (Appeals) (Written Representations Procedure) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 widened the Part 1 expedited written representations procedure to cover almost all appeals against a refusal of planning permission, including Green Belt cases. Written representation appeal decisions are now based solely on the evidence submitted during the original planning application.
This reform is built around the principle of "submit once, submit right". You can no longer introduce any new information at the appeal stage, even if it would strengthen your case or directly address a specific reason for refusal.
The only exception is where there has been a genuine material change in circumstances since the council's decision, such as a relevant change in development plan policy, a material Court judgment, or a relevant decision on another application or appeal.
This makes the quality and completeness of your initial planning submission more important than ever. You must anticipate potential challenges and operate on the assumption that a planning appeal will be required from day one
