Planning enforcement for the future - updated plan given go ahead

A document setting out how the Council will carry out planning enforcement work which will help support regeneration and protect the district from harmful effects of unauthorised development has been given the go ahead by DDC Cabinet this week.

The updated Planning Enforcement Plan (PEP) sets out the range of planning enforcement powers available to the Council, how the Council will decide whether or not to pursue planning enforcement action, and how they will prioritise their work so that any action is targeted at the most harmful breaches of planning control. 

The update follows the approval of the Corporate Enforcement Strategy in 2013.  It also follows changes to structures within DDC, where planning enforcement is now part of the Regulatory Services team. 

Cllr Nicholas Kenton, DDC Cabinet Member for Environment, said: "This updated plan will help us to continue to provide direction to planning enforcement processes, to provide consistency and clarity for our communities, and to continue to ensure that planning enforcement is supporting the regeneration of the district for the future."