If you believe that there is a breach of planning control you can either write or telephone us.

We will respond to complaints about alleged breaches of planning control that have been put in writing to use. We will also accept telephone calls and complaints submitted to our One Stop Shops.  We ask you to give us your name and address and as much detail about the activity and its location as possible. We will treat the matter confidentially. Anonymous complaints can be difficult to investigate and we will only respond to these if there appears to be a serious breach of planning control.

A breach of planning control includes:

• Carrying out building operations or changing the use of a property without planning permission.
• Building not in accordance with the approved plan or not complying with conditions of a planning permission.
• Carrying out works to or demolition of a listed building without Listed Building Consent.
• Certain demolition works within a conservation area.
• Displaying certain signs or advertisements without consent.
• Felling or carrying our works to a tree which is protected by a Tree Preservation Order or within a conservation area.

There are many activities and works that do not require planning permission, including various minor building works, which are "permitted development" and changes of use that are not material.

The Council has discretion in deciding whether to commence formal action. It will normally only do so where there is significant harm to public amenity. Action will not be taken simply because there has been a breach of control. The Council has regard to the guidance set out by the Welsh Assembly Government in Technical Advice Note 9 - Enforcement of Planning Control

Formal action will normally be serving an Enforcement or Breach of Condition Notice. Before proceeding we may request information by serving what is known as a Planning Contravention Notice.

Enforcement cases can take a long time to resolve. This will happen where a case is complex or it is difficult to establish whether a breach has occurred or there is an appeal against a notice.

We keep a register of Enforcement Notices, Stop Notices and Breach of Condition Notices. This is open to public inspection.

Our working files on enforcement cases are not open for public inspection.