Planning enforcement is action we can take when works have been carried out without planning permission.
Breach of planning control
We can only take planning enforcement action if there has been a breach of planning control. A breach of planning control could be building an extension to a house, not complying with planning conditions which relate to a building or changing the use of land from one type of business to another
Please make sure you are aware of what work requires planning permission before you start and that way you can avoid any unnecessary enforcement action being taken.
Common examples of works that require planning permission:
- decking – any decking that is over 30cm high requires planning permission
- advertisements – any advertisements or signs that are separate from the business premises themselves require advertisement consent. This includes vehicles and trailers with adverts on their side which are parked in laybys and fields
- resurfacing of driveways – planning permission is often needed for these works
- fences – any fence that is more than 1m in height and next to a road requires planning permission
- replacement of windows in flats – planning permission is usually needed for the replacement of windows in flats
- solar panels – planning permission is required if the panels protrude more than 20cm from the surface of the roof
The planning legislation is complex and not every type of building work requires planning permission.
Further information on how we deal with reports of breaches of planning control and what type of action we can take is available in our Planning Enforcement Manual.
How to report a breach of planning control
To report any breach of planning control:
- use the planning breach form
- call us on 0300 373 3730
- email [email protected]
To help us to investigate your complaint, the following information is useful:
- where is the location of the breach?
- what is the nature of the breach?
- when did you first notice the breach?
- who is responsible for the breach?
- do you have any evidence?
Confidentiality
The identity of any person reporting a suspected breach of planning control will be treated as confidential unless the complainant advises us otherwise. Please note that the alleged offender might still correctly assume who the complainant is and we may also request that you provide evidence at any subsequent prosecution.
What happens to your complaint
Once we have concluded our investigation into your complaint or report of a breach of planning permission, we will inform you of the outcome and what action we have taken. Every reported breach of planning control is different; some reports can take a couple of weeks to resolve while others can take significantly longer.
If you would like an update on what action is being taken throughout this process, contact us.