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  • Advance notice of major council IT system maintenance from 24 May (for around one week): we are carrying out planned essential maintenance work on the council’s IT systems. During this time, the majority of our online services will be unavailable. Where relevant, planning consultations will be extended by 14 days. We will update this banner message as the work progresses. − During this time you can still contact us via our enquiry form or by phone. We apologise for any inconvenience. Find out more information on this work.

Planning Enforcement

Watch the introduction to Planning Enforcement video and click on each heading below to learn more.

1

Introduction to Planning Enforcement

As the local Planning Authority, we have a duty to ensure developments are carried out in line with the latest planning guidance and regulations, and any planning permission we have granted.  A breach of planning control could be:

  • building work
  • change of use of an existing building or land
  • works to a listed building
  • the display of an advertisement
  • activity in breach of a planning condition
  • works to a protected tree

We are grateful to those who contact us for being our eyes and ears on the ground.

On receipt of a report, we assess the level of planning harm to determine our next steps.  This is so we can prioritise and intervene more quickly on cases that are causing or could cause significant planning harm.

Our approach is to work positively and constructively with anyone responsible for a breach.  It is not to punish everyone that carries out unauthorised work.