Book excerpt: Every year, thousands of homeowners apply for planning permission and come away battered and bruised. As a council case officer, Martin Gaine was part of the problem, continuously rejecting applications from poorly prepared applicants. Seeing that they were getting a raw deal, he founded Just Planning, a consultancy dedicated to helping homeowners to beat the planners. How to Get Planning Permission is a lively and accessible guide for homeowners. Full of practical detail and real-life case studies, its 6-step programme explains how to: - choose the right designer - exploit Permitted Development rights (where permission is not required at all) - understand how planning decisions are really made - apply tactically and effectively - deal with a refusal - avoid the agony of enforcement Martin explains how to decide, in the first instance, what kind of extension you really need (size isn’t everything) and how to get the best professional advice. He describes the planning decision making process – how to understand, apply and overcome planning policies, how to manage neighbour objections and how to build rapport with your case officer. A refusal of planning permission is not the end of the road – this book shows that it can be a constructive part of the planning journey and some permissions will only ever be secured at appeal. Planning is not a fair fight, but with the professional insight, advice and strategies Martin lays out in How to Get Planning Permission you can stack the odds in your favour.