Breaches of planning permission (planning enforcement)
We can investigate:
- a development without planning permission
- a development not built in accordance with an agreed permission
- an unauthorised change of use
- unauthorised works to a listed building
- an advert that needs consent
- unauthorised works to a tree with a tree preservation order
- a breach of planning permission conditions
- untidy sites that adversely affect amenities.
We will not investigate:
- neighbour disputes, unless there's a clear planning issue that has a significant impact on the area
- anonymous complaints, we require your details for audit purposes only
- boundary disputes - GOV.UK - Get information about property and land
- investigation of land ownership - GOV.UK - HM Land Registry
- party wall disputes GOV.UK - The Party Wall etc Act 1996: explanatory booklet
- noise complaints
- health and safety on building sites - Health and Safety Executive (HSE) - Safety hazards
- building regulations - building regulations
- erection of scaffolding: GOV.UK - Scaffolding rules
- parking issues and activities being carried out on the highway - Suffolk County Council - Report a highways issue
Before you report a breach
Before reporting a breach, you should check whether the matter:
- already has planning permission, on View or comment on planning applications
- would be permitted under permitted development rights. Visit Planning Portal or GOV.UK - Permitted development rights for householders: technical guidance
- is considered 'deemed consent' under The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007: GOV.UK - Outdoor advertisements and signs: a guide for advertisers.
If you do not agree with a planning decision made, there is no third party right of appeal.
You should be aware that while we do not pass your details on to the party you have complained about, people may draw their own conclusions as to who made the complaint. This may be an important consideration for you.
You should also be aware that taking enforcement action is discretionary and the council does not have to take action even where a breach in planning control exists. Action will only be taken where it is expedient to do so.
Report it
You can use our online form to tell us about a possible breach of planning rules.
You should aim to tell us:
- when the activity started
- the address of the land or building
- the approximate dimensions and materials of any building works
- names, addresses and telephone numbers of any owners, occupiers or builders involved
- details of any problems or harm caused to yourselves resulting from a material planning issue listed above.
After you have considered the above and you decide a breach in permission has occurred you can make a Planning enforcement complaint.
Our Enforcement team will try to resolve any issues discovered informally first, before looking into more formal procedures.
What happens with my complaint
We are currently experiencing high volumes of work and there may be a delay before your case is allocated and investigated. We are sorry for any inconvenience.
Your complaint will be acknowledged. This will include a designated reference number and details of how complaints are dealt with moving forward.
Cases are prioritised according to importance and degree of harm.
Planning Enforcement Register
The register holds information on the notices issued and served by the council which are available for inspection by the public, as prescribed by planning law.
Not all notices the council can serve under the law are required to be made available. Only planning enforcement orders, enforcement warning notices, enforcement notices, stop notices and breach of condition notices are required by law to be available for inspection by the public.
The Planning Enforcement Register is an index of planning enforcement notices issued after 1 April 2019. To see the actual enforcement notice, please email planning.enforcement@westsuffolk.gov.uk to make an appointment.
Planning enforcement notices prior to 1 April 2019 can be viewed in paper format at the council offices.