If an enforcement complaint is made against you
Step 1
An enforcement officer will visit the site to decide whether there has been a breach of planning regulations. If there has, you will be told of what to do to put matters right. You may need to make a planning application to obtain permission for what has to be done.
Step 2
We deal with the complaint in accordance with the council's Development Management Compliance Strategy.
If you do not act on the enforcement officer's advice and the matter is considered serious, you will be served with an official notice. This will give you a limited time to set matters right. You will have the right to appeal against the notice except in certain circumstances.
Step 3
If you have not complied with the official notice we have the right to take you to court and you could be fined.
We will do all we can to avoid taking legal action and will try to negotiate a solution which is acceptable to all. However, if this is not possible or you are unwilling to co-operate, then legal action will be taken to put matters right.
Taking immediate action
If we believe the situation is urgent then immediate action will be taken. This may include dealing with threats to protected trees or buildings, and in cases where public facilities could be seriously affected. We may also take immediate action if we believe that planning regulations were knowingly breached. In such cases we may decide not to negotiate at all.