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Planning
Planning enforcement
If you suspect that development is going on without planning permission you can ask the council to investigate it.
Some development is permitted development and therefore does not need permission. A planning officer can check the property file to see what permissions have been granted and whether the development needs permission. If it does, then we will consider taking enforcement action or ask the property owner to apply. Neighbours will be consulted before a decision is made.
In considering any enforcement action, the decisive issue for the council is whether the breach of control would unacceptably affect public amenity, or the existing use of land and buildings, meriting protection in the public interest.
While the council does not condone breaches of planning control, enforcement action should always be commensurate with the breach of planning control to which it relates (for example, it is usually inappropriate to take formal enforcement action against a trivial or technical breach of control which causes no harm to amenity in the locality of the site).
Where the council’s initial attempt to persuade the owner or occupier of the site to voluntarily remedy the harmful effects of unauthorised development fails, negotiations will not normally be allowed to hamper or delay whatever formal enforcement action may be required to make the development acceptable on planning grounds, or to compel it to stop.
For further information contact Planning Services.
