Enforcement appeals

This guide explains how you can comment on someone else's appeal against an enforcement notice.

When does an LPA serve an enforcement notice?

Your LPA is usually your local district or borough council. They are responsible for planning control in your area. If you put up a building or carry out a change of use without getting planning permission from the LPA you may be breaking planning control rules. If you already have planning permission but do not meet the conditions attached to it, you are also breaking planning control rules.

It is not an offence to break planning control rules. But if your LPA decide that the building or use is not acceptable, they may decide to send you an enforcement notice.

The LPA do not have to send you an enforcement notice just because you have broken planning control rules. They must have other good reasons and a clear idea of what they want you to do to put things right. For example, an enforcement notice might tell you to remove a building, stop a use, make the building or use acceptable, or meet the conditions of your planning permission.

In Wales, some of the rules are different. Please refer to the Planning Inspectorate's booklet A guide to taking part in enforcement appeals (Wales)