Planning Enforcement
Development undertaken without planning permission, alterations to listed buildings without consent or the failure to comply with conditions of a planning permission can result in the City Council serving an Notice. The fact that unauthorised development has taken place does not mean that enforcement action will be taken. The City Council has discretion to take enforcement action when it is considered necessary. An applicant may seek retrospective planning consent for the unauthorised development. However, once issued, failure to comply with a Notice is an offence for which fines can be imposed by the Courts.
The public often find it difficult to understand why an unauthorised use can continue. This can be due to the Planning Authority trying to secure a solution before taking the measure of serving a Notice. Also the fact that a Notice can be appealed against and some time months will then elapse before the appeal is determined. In some cases a "Stop Notice" can be served to achieve an immediate cessation of unauthorised activities.
It is Government advice that enforcement action is only taken as a last resort where all other means of negotiation have been exhausted. However, there will be cases where negotiation cannot produce an acceptable solution and enforcement action will be the only means open to the City Council if a breach continues.
If you consider that someone is carrying out development which may not have had planning permission, you should contact Planning and Infrastructure. Any complaints received in this way will be investigated with the name of the complainer kept confidential.
Sometimes complaints are received about matters over which the Planning Authority has no control - some developments do not require planning permission, or may not fall within the scope of the Planning Authority.
Contact(s)
- Development Management Team
Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure
Aberdeen City Council
8th Floor St Nicholas House
Broad Street
Aberdeen
AB10 1BW
Phone: 01224 523470
Fax: 01224 636181
Email: pi@aberdeencity.gov.uk
