How Effective is Planning Enforcement?
How can we make it work better?
Planning enforcement is important. Unless it’s done effectively, the integrity of the whole planning system is put at risk. But it’s one of the most frustrating issues for civic societies and local community groups. We’ll discuss this and related issues at this Open Meeting on 29th June. Please book here
Cases typically include:
- Large developments that grossly fail to meet planning conditions or even submitted drawings and plans;
- Illegal demolitions;
- Unauthorised residential alterations and extensions;
- Additional floors built on top of blocks of flats;
- Illegal tree felling;
- and many others
They can all have significant impacts on individuals and local communities.
Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) are under no legal obligation to act against any single breach. LPAs will take action only if it is deemed “expedient” in the public interest. Minor or technical breaches are unlikely to be pursued, and in some cases the development will receive retrospective approval.
Planning enforcement has often been treated as a “Cinderella service”, underfunded, understaffed, and overwhelmed. LPAs tend to use strict triage systems: only cases of the highest urgency are pursued as a priority, while the bulk of complaints are relegated to already massive backlogs. Cases can take months or even years to resolve.
Some developers are also adept at navigating the system to delay enforcement action, while civic societies and others sometimes find themselves having to gather the detailed evidence to prove that serious harm is being done.
The meeting will be chaired by Brian Keane of our Planning, Environment & Transport Committee. Our two highly experienced guest speakers are from two neighbouring but very different councils:
- Roald Piper, Team Leader, Westminster City Council Planning Enforcement
- Tim Rolt, Planning Enforcement Manager, Brent council
The purpose of the meeting is to explore with them how Councils and civic societies can work together to make the planning enforcement regime work as effectively as possible, in the interests of us all.
- Monday June 29th 2026
- 18:30 - 20:30
- 77 Cowcross Street, EC1M 6EL
- 18:00
- https://alanbaxter.co.uk/the-alan-baxter-gallery
- 020 7250 1555
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The Gallery is entered at the far end of the courtyard at 70-77 Cowcross Street, What3Words: ///driven.result.whips
Speakers
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Brian KeanePE&T CommitteeBrian is a solicitor with decades of experience advising Essex councils on planning and governance, including representation at numerous planning inquiries and enforcement hearings. He served as Managing Director and Chief Executive of Harlow Council from 2017 until his retirement in 2022. He now represents the Romford Civic Society and sits on the PE&T Committee of the London Forum.
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Roald PiperTeam Leader, Westminster City Council Planning EnforcementTeam Leader of Westminster City Council’s Planning Enforcement Team — the largest in England, with 22 staff — a position he has held since 2009, having been a town planner in Westminster. Over the past two years, his team has ranked first nationally for the number of Enforcement Notices issued. Notable cases include the unlawful demolition of the Carlton Tavern in Maida Vale, where enforcement action required the pub to be rebuilt as an exact facsimile of the original structure. Member of RTPI since 2002.
