ENFORCEMENT

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ENFORCEMENT OF PLANNING CONTROLS    
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• Introduction
• what is a breach of planning control
• Principles
• the legal position
• expediency - PPG18
• decision making
• enforcement notices
• appeals
• stop notices
• other planning enforcement matters
•  
• Example
• an unauthorised building

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What Is a Breach of Planning Control? 

• S.171A(1) TCP Act 1990-
•  
• The carrying out of development (operational
  development or material change of use) without
  the required planning permission
•  
• OR
• Failing to comply with any conditions attached to
  a planning permission which has been granted for
  the development

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The Legal Position

•       BPC is NOT an offence
•       S.172 TCP Act 1990- 
•  
• The LPA may issue an Enforcement Notice
  where it appears to them -
•  
• (a)        that there has been a breach
  of planning control and
•  
• (b)        that it is expedient to issue
  the Notice having regard to the
• provisions of the Development
  Plan, and to any other material
  considerations 
•  
•       Circular 10/97-
•  
• PPG Note 18 gives policy guidance on
  enforcing planning control. LPAs are expected to
  have regard to this guidance in deciding whether
  enforcement action is expedient
•  

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PPG 18 Expediency  

• 5 PRINCIPLES
•  
• 1.      LPAs SHOULD ACT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST
•  
• 2.      ENFORCE WHEN IT IS PLAINLY NECESSARY TO
  AVOID
• MALADMINISTRATION
•  
• 3.      PUBLIC AMENITY UNACCEPTABLY AFFECTED
  THIS IS THE
• DECISIVE ISSUE FOR THE
  LPA
•  
• 4.      ACTION SHOULD BE COMMENSURATE WITH THE
  BREACH
•  
• 5.      AVOID UNDUE DELAY

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Decision Making

• BASIC GROUND RULES
• 1.              ESTABLISH THE FACTS
•   
• 2.              ESTABLISH THE LAW
•  
• 3.              ESTABLISH THE POLICY SITUATION
  (S.54A/S.172)
•   
• 4.              IDENTIFY AND WEIGH ALL OTHER
  MATERIAL
• PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
•  
• 5.              DETERMINE EXPEDIENCY

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Enforcement Notices

•  
• Must specify the nature of the breach subject of
  the EN
•  
• Must specify the precise area of land
•  
• Must give detailed reasons (including policies)
  why enforcement is necessary
•  
• Must specify action required to remedy the
  breach/alleviate harm
•  
• Must allow minimum 28 days from service to come
  into effect (for appeal)
•  
• Must specify a reasonable date for compliance
•  
• Must be legally correct in every respect
•  
• Offence- Fail to comply with the requirements
  of an EN 20,000 Mags Ct.
• unlimited fine at Crown Ct. and/or Council can
  take s.178 Direct Action.
•  

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The Legal Position
        BPC is NOT an offence            S.172
TCP Act 1990-     The LPA may issue an
Enforcement Notice where it appears to them
-   (a)        that there has been a breach of
planning control and   (b)        that it is
expedient to issue the Notice having regard to
the provisions of the
Development Plan, and to any other
material considerations            Circular
10/97-   PPG Note 18 gives policy guidance on
enforcing planning control. LPAs are expected to
have regard to this guidance in deciding whether
enforcement action is expedient
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Enforcement Notices            Must specify the
nature of the breach subject of the EN         
Must specify the precise area of land         
Must give detailed reasons (including policies)
why enforcement is necessary          Must
specify action required to remedy the
breach/alleviate harm          Must allow
minimum 28 days from service to come into effect
(for appeal)          Must specify a reasonable
date for compliance          Must be legally
correct in every respect       Offence- Fail to
comply with the requirements of an EN 20,000
Mags Ct. unlimited fine at Crown Ct. and/or
Council can take s.178 Direct Action.  
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Appeals   S.174(2) TCP Act1990
Appeals   S.174(2) TCP Act1990
     
     
a               planning permission should be
granted, or condition(s) discharged
 
 
b              the matters alleged have not
occurred

 
 
c               the matters alleged (if they
have occurred) are not a breach of planning
control

 
 
d              breach is out of time (4
yrs/10yrs)
 
 
e               failure in service of EN  
e               failure in service of EN  
f                  EN requirements exceed
minimum necessary to remedy breach/harm to
amenity  
f                  EN requirements exceed
minimum necessary to remedy breach/harm to
amenity   unreasonable time limits for compliance
g              unreasonable time limits for
compliance
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Stop Notices              Use to prohibit only
what is essential to safeguard amenity or public
safety, or to prevent serious or irreversible
harm to the environment          Risk of
compensation if appeal v EN successful on grounds
(b) to (d)       Offence- Fail to comply with
the requirements of a SN 20,000 Mags Ct.
unlimited fine at Crown Ct. No power for Direct
Action.    
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Other Planning Enforcement Matters      
Listed Buildings
 
(S.7, 38 P(LBCA) Act 1990)    
Unauthorised works to listed building, or breach
of conditions of listed building
consent-         issue Listed Building
Enforcement Notice         immediate criminal
offence (Mags Ct. 20,000 and/or 6 months -Crown
Ct. unlimited fine and/or 2 yrs)
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Advertisements
  (S.224(3)TCP Act
1990)
   
Any person (owner/occupier/advertiser) who
displays an advertisement in contravention of the
Advertisement Regulations-
        immediate offence (Mags Ct. 2,500)
 
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Protected Trees

  (S.210, 211 TCP Act 1990)     Cut down,
uproot, lop or top tree as to wilfully damage or
destroy tree in contravention of a TPO, or tree
in Conservation Area-           issue Tree
Replacement Notice       immediate offence (Mags
Ct. 20,000 - Crown Ct. unlimited fine)  
 
  (Similar provisions exist for protected
hedgerows)  
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Untidy Land

  (S.215 TCP Act 1990)     Land which
(seriously) adversely affects the amenity of an
area-           issue S.215 Notice requiring
remedial action  
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S.106 Planning Obligations

  (S.106(3) TCP Act 1990)       Failure to
comply with a s.106 requirement or
restriction-         seek injunction requiring
compliance       the Local Planning Authority
can enter the land and carry out any operational
development requirement
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The Unauthorised Building