What to expect from a Planning Inspector's Site Visit

If you've appealed a planning refusal, there's one moment that probably fills you with equal parts hope and dread: the inspector's site visit.

This is it. After all the written statements, policy arguments, and neighbour objections, an inspector you've never met will turn up, look at your property or site for maybe 10-20 minutes, and their assessment will heavily influence whether your project lives or dies.

No pressure, right?

I've guided countless clients through this process, and the anxiety is always the same. What will the inspector want to see? Can I talk to them? Should I offer them a cup of tea? What if my neighbour ambushes them with complaints?

Let me walk you through exactly what happens at a planning inspector's site visit, what you absolutely must know, and how to avoid the mistakes that could damage your appeal.

The Three Types of Site Visit: Which One Applies to You?

First things first: not all site visits are the same. There are actually three different types, and understanding which applies to your appeal is crucial.

Unaccompanied Site Visit

This is the simplest type. The inspector views your property from public land—usually the street, a public footpath, or another public vantage point. You don't attend, the council doesn't attend, and the inspector doesn't come onto your property.

USVs are used when the inspector can see everything they need from public areas. Think of a straightforward house extension visible from the street, or a fence that's clearly visible from the pavement.

If you've been told your site visit is unaccompanied, don't assume this means your case isn't being taken seriously. It simply means the inspector has determined they can properly assess the proposal without entering private property.

Access Required Site Visit

This is the most common type for written appeals.

The inspector needs to access your property to see what they need, but they don't need you or the council to accompany them—they just need you to provide access.

Typically, you or your agent will arrive at an agreed time (usually given as a two-hour window), unlock gates or doors if needed, and then leave the inspector to it. You might exchange brief hellos, but there's no tour, no discussion, and no opportunity to make your case.

This procedure recognises that for many appeals—the inspector simply needs to see the property itself without anyone present to point things out.

Accompanied Site Visit (ASV)

This is the full formal procedure. Both you (or your agent) and a council representative attend, and the inspector conducts the visit with both parties present. Third parties—neighbours, local residents, interest groups—may also attend if you agree to allow them onto your property.

Accompanied visits are used when the inspector needs parties present to point out specific features, clarify boundaries, or identify particular viewpoints. They're more common for complex cases, enforcement appeals, or situations where there are disputed facts about what's actually on site.

Here's what's important: even though both parties are present, this is emphatically not an opportunity to argue your case or discuss the merits of the appeal. The inspector will make this very clear at the start.

What Inspectors Are Actually Looking For

Understanding what the inspector is trying to achieve helps you prepare properly and manage your expectations.

The site visit has one purpose: to allow the inspector to see the site and its surroundings and to assess the significance of what's been set out in the written evidence.

Notice what's not mentioned: hearing new arguments, listening to your explanation, or discussing the case.

The inspector arrives having already read all the written statements—yours, the council's, the neighbours'. They've identified the main issues. They understand the proposal. They know what policies are in play.

What they need now is to see it.

Does the proposal really harm the street scene as the council claims? Would it genuinely overlook the neighbour's garden? Is the access as dangerous as objectors suggest, or perfectly adequate? Can you actually see the listed building from the site?

These are matters of planning judgment that require visual assessment. The inspector needs to form their own impression, applying their professional experience to what they see.

They're checking physical features. They're assessing relationships—between your property and neighbours, between the site and the street, between the proposal and the surrounding area. They're verifying what's been described in statements.

They're not there to be persuaded. By the time they arrive, persuasion happens on paper.

Before the Planning Appeal Visit: How to Prepare

If you're attending the site visit (for an ARSV or ASV), preparation matters.

Arrive on time. This sounds obvious, but it's crucial. Inspectors have tight schedules, often visiting multiple sites in a day. If you're late, they might wait five minutes, try to contact you, and then either carry out an unaccompanied visit (if possible) or abandon the visit entirely—which means rearranging everything and further delay.

If you're genuinely running late, contact the Planning Inspectorate case officer immediately so they can try to inform the inspector.

Know which plans the inspector is working from. This is critical. The inspector will confirm at the start which plans the council made its decision on. If there's been any confusion—revised plans, superseded drawings, amendments—you need to be clear about this. Make sure you bring copies of the relevant plans.

Have a list of physical features you want to ensure the inspector sees. If there's a particular tree, a boundary, a viewpoint, or anything else that's important to your case and was mentioned in your written statement, make a note. The inspector will ask if there's anything you want to point out.

Understand the site visit location and logistics. If your site is large or has multiple access points, make sure the inspector knows where to meet you. If the site is difficult to find, provide clear directions through the case officer beforehand. Nothing wastes time and creates bad impressions like everyone wandering around trying to find each other.

Check your appearance. I know this sounds superficial, but site visits are professional occasions. You don't need a suit, but tatty clothes or overly casual attire doesn't help. Remember that for many people, the inspector's site visit is the only face-to-face contact with the planning system—making a professional impression matters.

The Golden Rules: Dos and Don'ts

Let me give you the essential rules that will keep you on the right side of the inspector and avoid damaging your case.

DO: Point Out Physical Features

When the inspector asks if there's anything you want to point out, you can indicate physical features. "That's the tree we're proposing to retain." "The boundary is actually here, not where the neighbour suggested." "This is the view toward the conservation area."

Keep it factual and brief. You're pointing, not arguing.

DON'T: Try to Discuss the Case

This is the number one mistake people make. The inspector will explicitly tell you at the start that they cannot listen to representations or discussion about the merits of the appeal. They mean it.

Don't try to sneak in arguments. Don't explain why the council is wrong. Don't tell them about all the planning permissions that have been granted nearby. Don't complain about how unfairly you've been treated.

I know it's tempting. You're standing there with the person who will decide your appeal, and you desperately want them to understand your side. But attempting to make your case at the site visit will only irritate the inspector and demonstrate that you don't understand the process.

All of that should have been in your written statement.

DON'T: Offer Hospitality

Inspectors cannot accept gifts or hospitality from anyone connected with an appeal. This includes tea, coffee, biscuits, or lunch.

I've seen appellants insist: "But it's just a cup of tea!" It doesn't matter. The inspector must decline to avoid any suggestion of improper influence or lack of impartiality.

Don't take it personally. It's not rudeness; it's professional obligation.

DON'T: Submit Late Evidence

Never, and I mean never, try to hand the inspector revised plans or additional evidence at the site visit.

"But I've just had these new drawings done that address the council's concerns!"

No. Evidence should be submitted through proper channels, with copies to all parties, allowing everyone time to respond. Trying to submit material at the site visit is procedurally unfair to the other parties and will be refused.

If you have genuinely important new information, contact the case officer in writing immediately, explaining why it's late and why it's necessary. But don't ambush the inspector on site.

DO: Be Polite But Professional

Inspectors are doing a job. Be courteous, answer their questions if they have any, and follow their instructions. But keep the interaction professional and focused.

Don't try to make small talk. Don't ask them how they think the appeal is going. Don't fish for hints about their likely decision. They won't tell you, and asking puts them in an awkward position.

DO: Make Sure the Inspector Sees Everything Necessary

At the end of the visit, the inspector will often ask if you're content they've seen everything. This is your opportunity to ensure nothing was missed.

"Have you seen the view from the bedroom window?" "Did you notice the screening provided by the hedge?" If there's something in your written evidence that required visual assessment, make sure it happened.

But again, frame it as checking they've seen features, not as making arguments.

When Neighbours Want to Attend the Site Visit

This is often a source of anxiety: what if objectors turn up and hijack the site visit?

First, understand that for accompanied site visits, third parties can only come onto your property if you agree. It's your private property, and you have every right to refuse access.

However, there's a strategic consideration here. If you refuse and the inspector thinks viewing from the neighbour's perspective might be relevant, it could look like you have something to hide. In many cases, it's actually better to allow a reasonable number of objectors to attend—it demonstrates confidence in your case.

The inspector will make clear to everyone present that they cannot listen to representations. Third parties are there purely to point out physical features, just like you. The inspector will firmly shut down any attempts to argue the case.

Viewing from Neighbouring Properties

Neighbours often request that the inspector view the appeal site from their property. This is common in extensions and development cases where impact on neighbouring amenity is a key issue.

The inspector has discretion about whether to accept these requests. If they're satisfied they can properly judge the effect on neighbours from within the appeal site, they don't have to visit neighbouring properties. The legal position is clear on this—there's no automatic right for neighbours to insist on a visit.

However, in practice, if a neighbour has specifically requested a view and the inspector thinks it might be relevant, they'll usually accommodate it. But here's the important part: if they do visit a neighbour's property, both you (or your agent) and the council representative must accompany them.

This ensures fairness. The neighbour can't make comments or show things to the inspector without you being present to hear. Everyone sees and hears the same thing.

If a neighbour refuses to allow you or your agent onto their property, the inspector might agree to view unaccompanied, provided you can see them clearly from the appeal site or the road. But if proper arrangements can't be made, the inspector simply won't visit that property.

What if Things Go Wrong during the Planning Appeal Site Visit?

Site visits don't always go smoothly. Here's what happens in various scenarios:

One Party Doesn't Turn Up

For accompanied visits, both parties should attend. If one party fails to arrive, the inspector will wait about five minutes and try to contact them through the case officer.

If they can't be contacted or can't arrive in time, the inspector has several options depending on the circumstances. They might carry out an unaccompanied visit if they can see everything from public land. If you as the appellant are present, they might get your permission to access the site without you accompanying them (converting it to an Access Required visit). If you're not present and they need access, they'll likely have to abandon and rearrange.

The key point: if you've confirmed you'll attend, you must attend. Repeated failures to attend site visits can actually result in your appeal being dismissed for causing undue delay.

Bad Weather

If weather is extreme—heavy rain, snow, high winds—the inspector will check whether parties are content to continue. In genuinely dangerous conditions, the visit can be postponed.

But don't expect postponement for light rain. Bring an umbrella.

You Can't See Everything from Public Land (USV cases)

If your site visit was arranged as unaccompanied but when the inspector arrives they realise they can't properly see what they need from public vantage points, they'll have to abandon the visit and rearrange it as an Access Required or Accompanied visit.

This is why it's worth checking, when you receive notice of an unaccompanied visit, whether the inspector really will be able to see everything relevant from the street. If you think they won't, contact the case officer promptly to discuss whether a different type of visit would be more appropriate.

Special Considerations: What Else You Should Know

Viewing Other Sites in the Area

You might ask the inspector to view other developments in the area—perhaps to show precedent for similar extensions being granted, or to demonstrate that your proposal is in keeping with the local character.

Inspectors will usually accommodate such requests if the other sites are reasonably close and you've provided sufficient locational details for them to find the properties without extensive searching. However, they'll view these sites from public land and typically unaccompanied.

Be strategic about such requests. Only ask to view sites that genuinely support your case. If you're arguing your extension is modest and in character, don't ask them to view the street with the large, incongruous additions that the council approved years ago—that might actually undermine your case rather than help it.

High-Profile or Contentious Cases

Some appeals attract significant local attention or media interest. If your case has generated substantial public controversy, the inspector will be aware of this and may take additional measures to manage the site visit appropriately.

This might include being more formal than usual, ensuring clear boundaries are maintained between different parties, or limiting the number of attendees. Don't be surprised if things feel a bit more structured in high-profile cases—the inspector is protecting the integrity of the process.

Health and Safety

If your site presents any health and safety issues—it's a construction site, there's dangerous machinery, uneven ground, or biosecurity concerns (like on farms)—make sure these are flagged to the case officer in advance.

The inspector needs to know if protective equipment is needed. If you're asking the inspector to view something that requires climbing scaffolding or accessing unstable structures, they may well refuse—and rightly so. Their safety comes first, and they're under no obligation to put themselves at risk.

Photographs

Inspectors often take photographs during site visits as an aide-memoire. If you're present, they should ask whether you object. The photos are purely for their own use in writing the decision—they're not published or shared.

You can take your own photos too, but don't let photography distract from actually looking carefully at what matters. I've seen people so busy with cameras that they miss the opportunity to ensure the inspector notices important features.

After the Site Visit: What Happens Next

Once the site visit concludes, the inspector will thank everyone and leave. They'll be first to leave—not walking off with either party—to maintain impartiality.

Don't try to catch them in the car park or follow them to discuss the case. Your interaction is over.

The inspector will then write their decision. For straightforward written representations cases, decisions are typically issued within a few weeks of the site visit, though timescales vary depending on complexity and the inspector's workload.

You won't receive any interim feedback. You won't be told how it went. The first you'll hear is when the decision is issued.

Understanding Why the Process Is So Formal

If you've never been through this before, the formality of the site visit can feel off-putting. Why won't the inspector chat with you? Why can't you explain things? Why does everything feel so rigid?

It's all about fairness and impartiality.

Inspectors must treat all parties equally. They can't have informal chats with one party that the other party doesn't hear. They can't receive information that hasn't been shared with everyone. They must not only be impartial but be seen to be impartial.

This is why they maintain professional distance. It's why they won't accept your cup of tea. It's why they shut down attempts to discuss the case. None of this is personal—it's procedural protection.

The system is designed around the Franks Principles: openness (no secret information), fairness (everyone gets the same opportunity), and impartiality (no bias or appearance of bias). The site visit procedure implements these principles in practice.

And actually, this formality protects you as much as anyone. Would you want an inspector who has cosy chats with the council officer? Who accepts hospitality from your neighbour? Who listens to arguments from objectors that you don't hear? Of course not. The rules apply to everyone equally.

My Final Advice: Focus on What Actually Matters

Here's what I tell every client before a site visit: by the time the inspector arrives, the substantive work is done. Your written statement made your case. The council made theirs. The inspector has read everything.

The site visit isn't where you win or lose the appeal—it's where the inspector verifies what they've read and forms their own visual impression. Your job is simply to facilitate that process professionally.

Don't overthink it. Don't try to be clever. Don't attempt to sneak in arguments. Just ensure the inspector sees what they need to see, answer any questions they have about physical features, and conduct yourself professionally.

I've seen excellent cases nearly undermined by appellants who couldn't resist trying to argue at the site visit. I've also seen clients stress themselves unnecessarily about site visits when actually, they went smoothly precisely because the client understood the process and followed the rules.

The planning appeal system, for all its complexity, is fundamentally fair. The site visit procedure is designed to give the inspector the information they need while ensuring no party gets an unfair advantage. If you understand this and work within it rather than fighting against it, you'll find the site visit is far less stressful than you imagined.

And if you're ever unsure about any aspect of the process—what type of site visit you're facing, how to prepare, whether neighbours should be allowed to attend—that's what planning consultants are for. We've been through hundreds of these. We know what works, what doesn't, and how to ensure your case is presented in the best possible light without overstepping the boundaries.

The site visit is just one step in the appeal process, but it's an important one. Get it right, and you've done everything you can to give your appeal the best chance of success.

About Me

Andrew Ransome is the planning director at ADP and is a chartered member of the RTPI, with over 22 years of town planning experience.

Andrew has extensive experience offering strategic planning solutions to challenging projects in both rural and urban settings. Follow him on Linkedin.

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