Complaints
We are committed to dealing with planning applications as quickly as possible and not to stand in the way of development without justification. We also expect land owners and developers to observe the spirit of the planning legislation and not carry out development until the necessary planning permission has been obtained. When development does take place without permission we have a full range of enforcement powers available to establish whether a breach of planning control has taken place, what harm is caused as a result of the breach and how to remedy the situation.
The Council has adopted the national Enforcement Concordat for regulatory services.
Most breaches of the planning rules are brought to our attention by neighbours or as we monitor development under way. There is a procedure established for investigating such complaints.
You can report complaints relating to alleged breach of planning control using a form which you can downloaded by clicking on 'Related Downloads' This can then be emailed or posted to us.
1. Allegations that development has been carried out without planning permission will be recorded individually. We will acknowledge any complaint made in writing within seven working days of receiving it and the complainant will be given the name of the planner dealing with the matter.
2. Investigation will begin as soon as possible although priority will be given to those alleged breaches, such as unauthorised building works, which need to be dealt with quickly before work becomes too advanced.
3. If the investigation shows that no breach of planning control has taken place the complainant will be informed of this within one week of the investigation file being closed.
4. Where it is not possible to find out whether a breach of planning control has taken place, we may issue a "planning contravention notice" requiring information on precisely what is taking place and an explanation as to why no planning permission has been sought. The complainant will be kept informed of any response we receive to the notice.
5. Where it is clear that a breach of planning control has taken place we often invite a planning application. This has the advantage of allowing us to get full details of the work that has taken place and consult neighbours before making a decision. It is also in line with Government advice. It may also be possible to make amendments or impose conditions which overcome the concerns of neighbours. Once an application has been submitted it will be treated on merit like any other application.
6. If an application is not submitted, we will decide whether or not an Enforcement Notice should be served. If, for instance, the unauthorised development is considered not to cause any harm, then enforcement action is not appropriate. The decision not to take further action will be reported to the Planning Committee. At least 14 days before the committee meeting we will send the complainant a clear explanation as to why the file is to be closed, and an opportunity, if not satisfied with the explanation, to ask for that decision to be reviewed. If, on the other hand, the decision is taken to proceed with enforcement action, the complainant will be informed.
7. Details of all complaints are reported quarterly to the Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
Details of complaints (alleged breaches) currently under investigation and those which have been closed in the last 6 months are available. You can find this and all our information services by going to the 'Find a planning application' part of our website.
8. The name and address of any complainant will be kept confidential to the council, although if you make representations on any subsequent planning application these will be available for the public to read.
