Enforcement

The Enforcement team investigates approximately 600 new complaints every year and the Council, at its discretion, may take the appropriate enforcement action to secure compliance with planning law.

Generally people comply with planning legislation. However, there are always some who do not. For example a building may have been erected without the benefit of planning permission or someone may not be complying with conditions attached to a planning permission.

Often compliance with planning legislation can be gained by agreement. In some cases the Council may consider it appropriate to issue a Planning Contravention Notice to gain information or in the event of a breach of planning control an Enforcement Notice, or a Breach of Condition Notice.

Anyone who is served with an Enforcement Notice can appeal to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. If a notice is ignored a fine of up to £20,000 can be imposed.

To prevent unauthorised development proceeding, the Council can consider issuing a Stop Notice in conjunction with an Enforcement Notice.

The notice requires that all work or a particular use ceases. As a last resort, the Council can take direct action to remove unauthorised developments which continue after an enforcement notice becomes valid. It should be noted that unauthorised development does not become unlawful until the valid date.

In all cases the Council must adhere to the Governments advice that it should only take enforcement action where it is expedient to do so.

In 2003 the Council adopted an Enforcement Policy which details the Council practices and procedures in relation to the investigation and subsequent action the Council may take when planning law is broken.

The Council has also produced an Enforcement Charter which provides a simple guide on how the Council will carry out its powers and duties in relation to the enforcement of planning legislation.

Both the Enforcement Policy and Enforcement Charter copies can be obtained from the Council Offices or downloaded below:-

• Enforcement Policy document (Adobe PDF)
• Enforcement Charter document (Adobe PDF)

If you wish to make a complaint please contact one of the Enforcement Team. Please note that we can not investigate anonymous complaints. However, we keep all complaint details confidential.

To contact the enforcement team, please call on T: 020 8207 7451 or email planning@hertsmere.gov.uk.