The goal of planning enforcement is to ensure that all work associated with planning permissions and other development, is carried out in accordance with the Town & Country Planning rules.  Not all concerns raised though will be controllable under the planning legislation.

Important information when considering submitting a report to us 

As part of the Council’s ongoing review of its services, we are working to ensure we get to the heart of planning enforcement investigations sooner. To achieve this, we require that upon submission of your enforcement enquiry/complaint you include photographs and as much detail as possible about the subject matter.

We will not be able to register and investigate your case without these details and therefore we may come back to you for additional information including a request to complete diary sheets if the matter relates to a use. This key improvement will ensure that officers can make quicker decisions on the next steps of the investigation. We thank you for your assistance.

To ensure the Council complies with GDPR requirements,  case officers will be unable to engage with you on a case unless you are a registered complainant on the file.

If your concerns are relating to the following, it is unlikely that these will be planning matters: -

You can view our planning enforcement policy at link on this page.

Telecomunications infrastructure and telegraph poles

If your concerns relate to the installation of telecommunications infrastructure, please click below for more information on this matter.

Telecommunications Infrastructure Planning Information 

This document also answers some frequently asked questions about the installation of telegraph poles.

We can investigate

  • building works that do not have planning permission
  • works that are different to the planning approval
  • business use of a house (but not of a home office)
  • untidy land (but not the siting of a caravan or motorhome on a domestic driveway)
  • works to protected trees without permission
  • works to listed buildings

If you still consider the matter you are raising to be a breach of planning control, please click on the link to the reporting form below.  

When completing the form, please provide as much detail as you can about the problem. State when the problem started and what harm is being caused. For possible unauthorised uses, provide full details of the activity such as hours of use, vehicle movements (including registration numbers) and customer visits (including times). For possible unauthorised buildings please explain how they differ from the approved plans (if there has been a planning permission) and provide details of the dimensions and location of the structure.

Report planning enforcement issues

Before reporting a problem to us, please check to see if the works have planning permission.

Report a possible breach of planning

Privacy Notice

You can view our Privacy Notice here 

Search for planning enforcement notices

Search for enforcement notices