Parliament has given the main responsibility for planning to local planning authorities. If you have any queries about a particular case, the first thing to do is to ask the planning department of your local council. You may also be able to find out more about planning law in your local library.

If you are concerned about a legal problem involving planning, the local Citizens Advice Bureau or a solicitor may be able to help.

It is your responsibility for seeking, or not seeking, planning permission. If required, planning permission should be granted before any work begins.

Enforcement

If you go ahead with your development without the required permission, the local council that is the planning authority for your area may ask you to make a retrospective planning application.

If it decides that permission should not be granted it may require you to put things back as they were. You can appeal but if the verdict comes out against you and you still refuse to comply you may be prosecuted.