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. Cases range from:

• 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.

Our speakers are from two neighbouring but very different Councils:

• Roald Piper from Westminster.
• Tim Rolt from Brent.

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.