The first 'LPA specific' page is called Make appeals visible, and can be found by clicking on Appeals in the left hand navigation, then Search for an appeal online.
The second page is called Appeal questionnaires, and it can be found under Planning Casework Service, then Help with the PCS.
The third is called Leaflets for LPAs, and it can also be found under Planning Casework Service, then Help with the PCS.

You may also find two other pages useful

I've heard that you're not scanning, and subsequently publishing, any more appeal documents onto the Portal. Is this right?

Due to a sharp rise in the number of new appeals and associated submissions we are getting at the moment, we have reluctantly decided to suspend scanning of documents we receive from 18 September 2006. This in turn means that we will not be publishing evidence on appeals from the same date – the summary case details, including progress information, will still be available, and we will continue to publish the decision when it is made.

What is the Planning Casework Service?

The Planning Casework Service is a set of facilities that provide anyone involved or interested in appeals and other casework handled by The Planning Inspectorate with the ability to transact electronically with the Inspectorate in relation to the case, and to track progress on it online.

What types of appeal can I access through the Planning Casework Service?

Appeals in the following categories that have been accepted as valid are available through the service:

Access Restriction appeals
Enforcement Notice appeals,
Listed Building Enforcement Notice appeals,
Conservation Area Enforcement Notice appeals,
Crown Land Enforcement Notice appeals
Lawful Development Certificate appeals
Planning appeals,
Listed Building Consent appeals
Conservation Area Consent appeals

What software do I need to use the service?

We recommend the use of the Windows operating system (Windows 98 or above) and Internet Explorer 6.0 or above as a browser. You will also need Adobe Acrobat Version 6 or better to view documents.

Although the Planning Casework Service is designed and tested for use with the above system requirements, you may be able to access the services using other operating system and browser combinations. However the appearance of the pages and performance may be affected.

Please also note that:

a) your Internet browser must have JavaScript enabled, which is usually a default setting on your browser, and

b) if you have a pop-up blocker, you should set it to temporarily allow pop-ups from the PCS site.

We recommend the use of a broadband connection, particularly if you intend to access documents or use the map facilities we provide.

I'm having problems filling in the Local authority name/The LPA finder doesn't work.

The LPA finder is a pop-up and if you have a pop-up blocker, it won't be able to work. You should set it to temporarily allow pop-ups whilst you are using the PCS site.

Where do I find the Planning Casework Service?

The Planning Casework Service is available on the internet, through the ‘Appeals’ area on the Planning Portal.

What facilities are available online?

The following facilities are available through the Planning Casework Service:

Submit appeals or appeals questionnaire online, including required attachments
Submit comments or required documents online
Save a copy of anything submitted
Search for cases on the system
View the location of one or more cases on a map
View selected details about individual cases
Track the progress of a case
Access the decision on individual cases
Access Help associated with each of the main facilities.

Do I need to Register with the Planning Portal to use the facilities?

No. Anyone can use the facilities provided, whether or not they have registered with the Planning Portal.

Do I need a username and password to use these facilities?

You only need a username and password if you work for a local authority and want to submit an appeal questionnaire.

I’m visually impaired or have accessibility issues, can I still use the online facilities?

Yes - we have made the screens and forms as easy to use as possible. But if you want to make any further suggestions for improvement, please let us know what they are. You can send an e-mail to pcs@pins.gsi.gov.uk

Is there any help and advice on using the Planning Casework Service facilities available online?

Yes. The forms have been written in a way that we hope will make them simple to complete, with guidance included where necessary. Help is also available wherever you see “?” or “HELP ?” in the top right hand corner of a screen or section of a form.

You can also go to www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1102936775943.html
and
www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1068129757345.html

I have tried to use the facility to (submit an appeal, search for a case) and it doesn’t work.

To use this system, you will need certain software (see "What software do I need to use the service?"). You can find out what version of Internet Explorer you are using by opening up your browser, and clicking on ‘Help’ from the options at the top of the screen. Then select ‘About Internet Explorer’ and the Version number will be on the screen that is then displayed.

Are there any technical limits to what I can submit as attachments online?

Yes – we do a number of checks on any files that you attach to an appeal or other submission. When you click on the button to submit it to us, we will check:

the file type: we do not accept all file types. The main ones that are acceptable are .DOC, .TIF, .JPG and .PDF
the file size: we will reject files that are 0 bytes or larger than 1Mb
whether the file uploads correctly
whether it is infected by a virus.

If we find any attachments that fail these checks, a message will be displayed on screen. You will then need to remove/replace the problem attachment and re-submit.

What types of appeal can I submit online?

The following types of appeal may currently be submitted online:

Access Restriction appeals, under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act
Conservation Area Consent appeals, under section 20 of the Town and Country Planning Act
Conservation Area Enforcement Notice appeals, under section 39 of the Town and Country Planning Act
Crown Land Enforcement Notice appeals, under section 295 of the Town and Country Planning Act
Enforcement Notice appeals, under section 174 of the Town and Country Planning Act
Listed Building Consent appeals, under section 20 of the Town and Country Planning Act
Listed Building Enforcement Notice appeals, under section 39 of the Town and Country Planning Act
Lawful Development Certificate appeals, under section 195 of the Town and Country Planning Act
Planning appeals, under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act

I want to submit more than one Enforcement appeal, but all the details apart from the name of the appellant are the same. Do I have to fill in the form from scratch each time?

No. There is a function within the Enforcement appeal form that allows you to complete one form and identify separate appellants – provided that all the other details are the same. Just answer ‘Yes’ to the following question in the Appellant Details section of the form – “Do you want to use this form to submit appeals by more than one person (eg Mr and Mrs Smith), with the same address, against the same Enforcement Notice?”

The system tells me that my attachments are too large. What can I do?

If you are unable to split the file into smaller parts and submit them online, the Inspectorate will accept supporting documents by e-mail. For Access Restrictions Appeals these can be sent by email to access@pins.gsi.gov.uk and for all other appeal types to enquiries@pins.gsi.gov.uk. The covering email for your attachments MUST contain the appeal reference (or the name of the appellant) and the date that the appeal, questionnaire or comment form was submitted.

I have additional supporting documents that I cannot send with the form because there isn’t enough space. What can I do?

The Inspectorate will accept supporting documents by e-mail. For Access Restrictions Appeals these can be sent by email to access@pins.gsi.gov.uk and for all other appeal types to enquiries@pins.gsi.gov.uk . The covering email for your attachments MUST contain the appeal reference (or name of the appellant) and the date that the appeal, questionnaire or comment form was submitted.

The type of appeal I want to submit isn’t there – what can I do?

The Planning Casework Service is being introduced in phases. If the type of appeal you want to submit is not shown, you won’t be able to use the PCS to send it in online. You should go to the forms page on the Planning Inspectorate website at www.planning-inspectorate.gov.uk/pins/forms/index.htm or you can contact the Planning Inspectorate’s Customer Services Team on 0117 372 6372 or at enquiries@pins.gsi.gov.uk.

Who can make an appeal online?

For Access restriction appeals, an appeal can be made by anyone with a legal interest in the land.
For appeals against Enforcement Notices, an appeal can be made by anyone on whom a Notice is served, plus anyone with an interest in the land involved.
For Lawful Development Certificate appeals, an appeal can only be made by the person, persons or organisation that made the original application.
For Conservation Area Consent, Listed Building Consent and Planning appeals, only the person(s) or organisation(s) that made the original application for permission or consent can make an appeal.

If I make an appeal online, will it be treated any differently?

No. The process is the same whether the appeal is made online or on paper.

If I submit an appeal online, can I still choose to handle all the other stages by post?

Yes. The form asks you if you want to correspond with us by e-mail or by post. If you have an e-mail account, we recommend that you use it, as it is quicker than the post.

How do I submit an appeal online?

Go to www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1102936775943.html. This screen contains a series of links to all the appeal forms that are available. Click on the one you need.

I don’t have everything (eg my plans) in electronic form – can I still submit my appeal online?

Yes. The form allows you to say which of the required attachments you are including with your online submission, and which ones will follow by post. The copy of the completed form that you will be able to download after submission will have an additional sheet listing the documents that were submitted online and those that will follow by post. This sheet can be used as a checklist when the remaining documents are posted to the Inspectorate.

How do I know whether my appeal has been received when I submit it online?

When you submit your appeal, the answers you have given will be checked – to make sure that you have answered all mandatory questions, and that any electronic documents have been attached. All attachments will be checked during the submission process and you will be advised if there are any problems. Unless you fix those problems, the appeal will be rejected. If all is OK, you will get an on-screen receipt to tell you that we have received the appeal, and it will show the reference that has been allocated to the new appeal. You will also get the opportunity to save a copy of the completed form which will show the appeal reference.

How do I know whether my appeal has been accepted when I submit it online?

The validity of appeals submitted through the online facility will be checked by staff at the Planning Inspectorate. Our staff will write to you to let you know if the appeal has been accepted – either by e-mail or by post, according to your choice.

How should I send a copy of my online appeal to the local planning authority?

A number of local authorities will accept the copy of the appeal by e-mail, but others will only accept it by post. As we give you the opportunity to save a copy of the completed form, you will be able to e-mail it with any attachments, or print and send the papers as appropriate.

Which local authorities will accept copies of my appeal by email? And what is the email address I should use?

A list of the local authorities who have agreed to accept copies of appeals by e-mail is available on the Planning Portal at www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1115311704958.html. Clicking on the listed e-mail address will create a new e-mail to the right address.

What information is available online (what is published)?

Summary details of the case are published, including a track of progress, and the appeal decision. Publishing of all other documents (evidence) has been temporarily suspended due to a sharp rise in appeals and submissions. You can however view the documents at the offices of the relevant local planning authority.

Where evidence is published, when will it be available?

We will not be publishing any evidential information on the Planning Portal. The ability to submit documents electronically will still be available, and the decision will also be published on all cases.

How do I use the Case Search facility to find an appeal on the system?

Go to www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1102936775950.html. This screen contains a link to the Case Search facility. Click on the link.

In the Case Search screen, enter your search criteria in one or more of the available fields, and then click on ‘Search for cases’.

How do I get to the evidence on an appeal?

We have suspended publishing appeal evidence, due to a sharp rise in the number of new appeals and evidence being submitted to us. You can however view the documents at the offices of the relevant local planning authority.

The ability to submit new appeals, evidence and comments online is still available. The decision will be published and can be accessed from the Appeal stages and dates table in the Case Summary.

To access the Case Summary:

Go to www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1102936775950.html. This screen contains a link to the Case Search facility. Click on the link.
In the Case Search screen, enter the final 7 digits of the appeal reference (eg 2345678) in the Case reference field, and then click on ‘Search for cases’.
From the Case Search Results screen, click on the reference number for the case. This will take you to the Case Summary screen

How do I display the location of a site on a map?

Go to www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1102936775950.html. This screen contains a link to the Case Search facility. Click on the link.

In the Case Search screen, enter your search criteria in one or more of the available fields, and then click on ‘Search for cases’.

From the Case Search Results screen, click on the box in the first column next to the case (or cases) whose location you want to see on a map. Then scroll to the bottom of the results list and click on the map icon.

How do I track progress on a case?

Go to www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1102936775950.html. This screen contains a link to the Case Search facility. Click on the link.

In the Case Search screen, enter your search criteria in one or more of the available fields, and then click on ‘Search for cases’.

From the Case Search Results screen, click on the reference number for the case. You can view progress through the "Appeal Stages and Dates" table.

Who can submit an appeal questionnaire?

Appeal questionnaires can only be submitted by the authority/local authority to whom the original application was made, or who issued the Enforcement Notice.

How do I submit an appeal questionnaire online?

The ability to submit an appeal questionnaire can be found on the PCS Documents page. To get to it, you will need to:

Use the Case Search to find the appeal you are interested in.
From the Search Results list, click on the Case reference.
From the Case Summary, click on the link under the ‘Documents’ heading.

This will take you to the Documents page. At the bottom is the link to the facility to Submit a questionnaire.

I don’t have all the supporting documents in electronic form – can I still submit the questionnaire online?

Yes. The online form allows you to say which of the required attachments you are including with your online submission, and which ones will follow by post. The copy of the completed form that you will be able to download after submission will have an additional sheet listing the documents that were submitted online and those that will follow by post. This sheet can be used as a checklist when the remaining documents are posted to the Inspectorate.

Who can submit comments or required documents?

Provided that they do so in accordance with the timescales for the case, anyone interested in the appeal can make comments or submit documents that are required by the Planning Inspectorate.

How do I comment on someone else’s appeal or submit an appeal statement or other representation?

The ability to comment on a case can be found on the PCS Documents page. To get to it, you will need to:

Use the Case Search to find the appeal you are interested in.
From the Search Results list, click on the Case reference.
From the Case Summary, click on the link under the ‘Documents’ heading.

This will take you to the Documents page. The facility Comment on this case is at the bottom of this screen.

How do I know whether my comment or representation has been received when I submit it online?

When you submit your comment or representation, the form will be validated – to ensure that you have answered all mandatory questions, that any electronic documents have been attached. All attachments will be checked during the submission process and you will be advised if there are any problems. Unless you fix those problems, the submission will be rejected. If all is OK, you will get an on-screen receipt to tell you that we have received the submission, and you will also get the opportunity to save a copy of the completed form.

How do I know whether my comment or representation has been accepted when I submit it online?

The validity of the comment or representation submitted through the online facility will be checked by staff at the Planning Inspectorate. They will write to you to let you know if it has been accepted – either by e-mail or by post according to your choice.

Who will receive a copy of the decision and will it be made available online?

The appellant or their agent and the local planning authority will be informed of the decision as part of the standard processing of the appeal. Anyone who submits a comment on the case and asks for a copy of the decision will also be advised. The decision will also be published on the Planning Casework Service.

Will I be notified when the decision on an appeal is published?

No – although we are hoping to introduce this type of service as an enhancement to the system in future.

What should I do if I have a problem using the PCS?

If you have a problem using any of the PCS facilities, please check:

your PC
your connection to the internet
if you are on a network, your network.

Also check the PCS Troubleshooting (www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1106221478342.html) page on the Planning Portal. This records known issues and the course of action we recommend until they are fixed.

If your problem isn’t covered, please contact our Customer Services Team on 0117 372 6372 or e-mail them at enquiries@pins.gsi.gov.uk.

How can I suggest an improvement to the service?

You can send an e-mail to feedback@planningportal.gov.uk – a link is available from the ‘Contact Us’ section of the Planning Portal, or you can send an e-mail to pcs@pins.gsi.gov.uk.

I work in a local authority. Do we need to change the way we work in order to use or get the best out of using PCS?

If the staff that process enforcement appeals have access to the internet, e-mail, and a printer, you should be able to use the PCS with only minimal changes to the way you work – such as using e-mail to send information to the Planning Inspectorate, rather than the post. However, to get the best out of it, you need to take time to identify the opportunities that such a service presents to you – to think again about the way you do things, and streamline your processes.

Can I include a hyperlink to a local plan and/or supplementary planning guidance in my statement, if they are published on our own website or through the Planning Portal, rather than including copies?

Whereas we see benefits in this idea, we need to consider the implications very carefully. The main issues are version control and accessibility.

Version control: We need to be sure that the version of the document referred to in the evidence is the most up-to-date version of the plan or planning guidance. If the version changes between the submission of the evidence and that evidence being considered by the Inspector, all parties need to be made aware of the change and the paragraph/page references may also need to be revised.

Accessibility: We need to be sure that any links will not ‘break’ – as can happen if there is an updated version of, say, supplementary planning guidance. And finally, we need to ensure that anyone who is interested in the appeal but does not have access to the internet, can still get all the information they need – a printed version of a document with a hyperlink would not provide them with everything.

For these reasons, we are currently not accepting hyperlinks in evidence.

What is the preferred method of sending documents to the Inspectorate electronically?

We recommend that you use the online form if you do not have any additional documents to send with your representations, or the documents are less than 1MB in size.

However, if any of your documents are over 1MB, we recommend that you send them to us by e-mail. Where appropriate, the copy for the appellant/agent can be sent electronically where they have given an e-mail address on the appeal form. The copy for the local authority can also be sent by e-mail where they have one published on the Portal – see at www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1115311704958.html.