Planning Enforcement

Planning enforcement investigates possible breaches of planning control and aims to resolve these using the most appropriate means or action. The section is responsible for enforcing control for all planning matters including minerals.

What is a breach of planning control?

A breach of planning control is defined in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as:-

"the carrying out of a development without the required planning permission, or failing to comply with any condition or limitation subject to which planning permission has been granted".

Examples of breaches of planning control:

Building work, engineering operations and material changes of use, which are carried out without planning permission, where planning permission is required.
Development which has planning permission but is not carried out in accordance with the approved plans.
Failure to comply with conditions or the terms of a legal agreement attached to a permission or consent.
Advertisements that require express consent under the Advertisement Regulations, but are displayed without consent being granted*.
Demolition within a conservation area, without conservation area consent, when it is required*.
Works carried out to a "listed" building, which affect it's historic character or setting, without listed building consent being granted*.
Failure to comply with the requirements of a planning legal notice (e.g.) enforcement, discontinuance, stop notice, etc*.

*These items constitute an offence.

The Council will not become involved in matters that are purely neighbourly disputes and, in particular, cannot become involved in boundary disputes.

What Information Do We Need When You Make A Complaint?

We will need the precise location of the site or property to which the complaint relates.
The exact nature of concern i.e. the potential breach of planning control.
If possible, the identity of the person/ organisation responsible and the date and/or time the breach began.
Please complete the form Investigation Complaint Form and return it by post or e-mail to the Enforcement Officer

What Happens To Your Complaint?

We will start to investigate 80% of all complaints received within 20 working days of us being notified. Those complainants for which we have contact details will be notified of the initial conclusions within 10 days following the site investigation. Follow-up letters of progress will also be sent to complainants as matters progress.

Confidentiality

Every effort will be made to keep the identity of the complainant confidential. In many cases the original source of the complaint is an officer of the Council. However those who are close to the site of the alleged planning contravention often provide the best evidence. There are likely to be cases where the reluctance of a complainant to be identified and provide evidence may seriously affect the outcome.

If you want to know more about the Enforcement Process please visit the Enforcement Process Section of The Planning Portal.

How to Report a Breach of Planning

By telephone on 01545 572109
In person at the Clic Customer Service Centres, located in the libraries – Aberystwyth, Aberaeron, Cardigan and Lampeter.
By e-mailing us on the following address planning@ceredigion.gov.uk