Two clocks run on every planning application in England: how long the council has to decide, and — if the answer is no — how long you have to appeal. Miss the second one and the right disappears. This calculator turns both into actual dates.
Calculate your dates
The calculator needs JavaScript. The statutory periods are summarised below.
The statutory periods
| Clock | Period |
|---|---|
| Council decision — householder, minor and most applications | 8 weeks from valid receipt |
| Council decision — major development | 13 weeks |
| Council decision — EIA development | 16 weeks |
| Appeal — householder refusal | 12 weeks from the decision notice |
| Appeal — minor commercial refusal | 12 weeks |
| Appeal — advertisement consent | 8 weeks |
| Appeal — all other refusals | 6 months |
| Appeal — where an enforcement notice is involved | 28 days |
Three realities behind the numbers
- The clock starts at validation, not submission — a missing document delays the start line, which is why the document checklist matters more than speed.
- Extensions of time are routine — councils will ask; agreeing is usually smarter than forcing a rushed refusal, but the non-determination appeal remains your lever once the period expires.
- Appeals reward evidence, not haste — the Planning Inspectorate must receive your appeal by the deadline, and the file is largely fixed at submission. Strengthening the technical case first (daylight, flood, energy, air quality) is usually the best use of the window.
How Fortress Associates can help
Refusals citing flood risk, air quality, carbon or neighbouring amenity are exactly what our reports answer — free automated FRAs, AQAs, energy and sustainability statements, and professional daylight reports in 4–5 days: well inside a 12-week appeal window. All the tools live at /free-tools; talk to us about an appeal deadline you are up against.
Sources & further reading
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