Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with planning applications for a residential development. This is because the complaint is late.

The complaint

1. Mr X has complained about how the Council dealt with planning applications for a development near his home. He says the Council failed to consider his objections and the development does not comply with planning policies. Mr X says the Council has not properly considered the impact of the development and says his home will be overlooked and lose privacy.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by Mr X and the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mr X has raised many concerns about the Council’s decision to grant permission for a development near his home. However, I consider Mr X’s complaint about how the Council dealt with the applications late. A complaint is late if it has taken someone more than 12 months to complain to the Ombudsman. It has been over a year since the Council approved the applications for the site and Mr X has been aware of the development for over a year. I see no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate now as Mr X could have complained to the Ombudsman sooner.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is late.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman