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Submitting an Enforcement Complaint

If you believe a breach of planning control has taken place then please contact a Planning Enforcement Officer or submit your complaint online.

If, following investigation, your complaint is found to not be a planning-related issue, you will be informed and where possible we will help you re-direct the complaint to the relevant body.

What Information Will We Need From You?

When you first approach us with your complaint it would be useful to supply as much information as possible about the current and previous situation:

• Your name and address and a contact number. All complainants are kept confidential and your name will not be disclosed without your knowledge and agreement unless we are legally required to do so.
• The exact location of the building or site. You can use our online mapping service (MOLE) to find the exact location.
• The approximate dimensions of any building work in appropriate cases.
• When the activity started and the frequency of the activities.

This information will help us deal with your complaint efficiently and effectively.

Our Pledge To You

1. Where necessary we will visit the site in question. We aim to do this within 5 working days of receiving your complaint.
2. We will notify you within 10 working days of receiving your complaint the course of any action that we propose to undertake.
3. We will advise you within 10 working days of any decision to take formal legal action against the person involved.
4. We will advise you of the name and telephone number of the officer dealing with your complaint.

What Happens if you are the Subject of a Complaint

If we believe that the rules have been broken you will be told clearly and simply what is wrong and what can be done to put things right. A time limit will be given and the penalties for non-compliance explained.

Before formal action is taken you will have an opportunity to discuss the circumstances with an officer and, where possible, advice will be given.

A number of options are available to the Council where a breach has taken place:

• Take no action e.g. where an unconditional planning permission would be granted or a minor breach occurs.
• Ask for a planning application to be submitted within 28 days to sort out the breach. (The submission of an application does not mean that permission will necessarily be granted. All applications are subject to full consultation and democratic consideration.)
• Try to negotiate a solution – perhaps relocation or an amended design/reduction in size of an unauthorised building or structure.
• Consider enforcement and/or prosecution action. You will receive prior notification of this course of action.

Where a breach cannot be resolved voluntarily the decision to pursue formal action will, in most cases, be taken by the Planning Committee. Decisions to pursue action are undertaken with due regard to planning legislation, Government guidance and the Human Rights Act 1998.

Appealing an Enforcement Decision

Do I Have A Right of Appeal Against An Enforcement Notice?

Most formal Notices served under planning legislation can be appealed. The service of a Notice will always include details of your right of appeal. Further information is available at www.planningportal.gov.uk.

The enforcement register and actual enforcement notices are available to view online.

If I Am Not Satisfied What Can I Do?

We are committed to providing you with high quality, fair and consistent services. We try to maintain high standards but are aware that sometimes things can go wrong. When this happens we want to hear from you. We will try our best to put it right and make sure it does not happen again.

If you wish to complain about our enforcement service then in the first instance please write to the Development Advice and Control Manager. If you are still dissatisfied then you will be given leaflets explaining the Council's formal Complaints Policy.

Please let us know if:

• You are dissatisfied with the service you have received.
• You feel the service you received was provided inefficiently or unfairly.
• You have any suggestions as to how the service we offer can be improved.