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Appeal or review a planning decision

You can appeal our planning decision or ask for a local review if: 

  • Your application has been refused
  • You disagree with the conditions attached to your permission
  • We didn't make a decision within the time period set by the law

Fees

As of 9th June 2025 there are fees payable for most appeals and local review requests, although there are fee waivers and reductions for some types of development and some applicants. These fees are set nationally.

View more details:

Who to appeal to

How you appeal depends on who made the decision or type of application. Your decision notice will tell you how you should appeal.

Appeals to Scottish Ministers 

If a decision was made by a council committee, you will need to appeal to Scottish Ministers. The Scottish Government's Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) handles planning appeals on behalf of Scottish Ministers.

Other types of permission such as Listed Building Consent or Consent to Display Advertisements would also use this process.

In all types of appeal, there will be a deadline by which you will need to get your appeal to  DPEA.

How to submit an appeal to DPEA

The following guidance and forms are available to help you appeal:

You can submit your appeal on the ePlanning portal. You will be asked to pay the appropriate fee as part of your appeal submission.

Reviews to our Local Review Body

You can make a review request to the council’s Local Review Body (LRB) if:

  • Your application has been refused 
  • Your application has been granted subject to conditions  
  • We have failed to make a decision within the period allowed for determination (or an agreed extension) 

Your planning decision notice will provide all the details required for this. 

LRB operates as a council committee and the review process is impartial. The Planning Service isn't directly involved and doesn't administer the process. However a qualified planner, who hasn't been involved in the original decision, may be asked to assist the LRB.

Timescales to sublimit a local review request

If your application was refused or conditions were applied to an application approval, the review request must be submitted within 3 months of the decision date.

Reviews against non-determination must be submitted either:

  • Within 3 months of the expiry date of the two-month period allowed for determining the application
  • Any extended date agreed in writing between the applicant and the planning authority

How to pay for a review

You are required to pay the appropriate fee in full otherwise we will not be able to progress your request for review. 

You can pay in different ways:

How to submit a local review request

The following guidance and forms are available to help you request local review:

There are different ways you can submit a local review request:

Head of Legal and Governance
Business Services
Aberdeenshire Council
Woodhill House 
Westburn Road 
Aberdeen 
AB16 5GB