No, in some cases the applicant and the planning authority will hold such different views that the only way forward would be to lodge an appeal, but in many instances an appeal might not be the best way forward.
Normally after a refusal of planning permission the case officer who has dealt with the application will be willing to discuss the issues with the applicant. It is often possible to amend a proposal to overcome the objections to it, e.g. reducing a building’s size or moving it away from a neighbour who would otherwise be adversely affected.
If the applicant decides to revise the scheme and reapply for planning permission the planning fee will probably not be payable. A fee is not required if the application is for the same site (or the same site plus additional land for an access) and similar in nature for up to a year from the date when the previous application was refused.
It should also be noted that, on average, only about one appeal in three is successful.