Planning Appeals

If you wish to start the process of a planning appeal, this should be requested in writing and submitted to the Minister of the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture. Details on the Planning appeals process can be found on the DEFA Planning Appeals Page. 

The administrators of planning appeals are based in the Cabinet Office, they co-ordinate with an independent qualified Inspector who resides outside the Isle of Man. This ensures that appeals are handled in a fair and open manner.

The planning appeals system is conducted under the Articles of the Town and Country (Development Procedure) Order.

How appeals are considered

The Planning Inspector will consider all documentation that made up the original application and further written submissions, which are sought by the Appeals Secretary from all interested parties.

When requesting written submissions, the Appeals Secretary notifies interested parties of the date and time by which the documents must be received. This is normally within 21 days. If a submission is not received within the time frame allowed, the Inspector will not normally take it into account in his consideration of the appeal.

Submissions must be GDPR complaint, appropriate and are preferred in an electronic form via email to planning.appeals@gov.im.

Paper copy may be submitted, sent to the address below and in accordance with the deadlines set.

It should be noted that the Inspector will consider the application in full, even where an appeal is against a condition of approval.

NOTE the Minister is empowered to reverse or vary any part of the Planning Committee’s decision.

Attendance at appeal hearings

Whilst parties who have been granted interested person status and their agent/ witnesses are invited to take part in the appeal hearings process, the Appeal Inspector does apply discretion to allow other parties to attend and opportunity to speak. Members of the public can also request to attend a hearing as observers. Persons wishing to do so should contact the Planning Appeals Secretariat to advise of their intention to attend to ensure that the venue can accommodate the attendees.