Planning enforcement and site monitoring

Enforcement

Our Planning Enforcement Officer investigates complaints relating to:

Active minerals and waste sites
Unauthorised minerals and waste activity

We can only investigate matters under the control of the County Council, as defined in the 1990 Town and Country Planning Act.

The Planning Enforcement Officer's role is to deal with harm caused by breaches of planning control. In the event of an alleged breach, they'll open an investigation that normally concludes when, for example:

They find there has been no breach
Planning permission is granted
Harm caused by a breach is dealt with where planning legislation allows

Informal discussions between the operator and the relevant officer will take place in the first instance to see whether the issue can be resolved without recourse to more formal action. However, in the event that it is not possible to resolve the issue informally, enforcement action may be taken.

Any enforcement action will be taken in line with the policies in our Planning Guidance. This explains how complaints can be made and how we investigate them.

Site monitoring

Our planning officers carry out monitoring visits to mineral extraction and waste landfill sites. These are to check that sites are:

Complying with the terms of planning permission
Progressing towards completion in the timescale permitted
Restored once operations are complete

Sites are monitored on a regular basis, depending on the complexity of operations.

If a site is found to be in breach of planning permission, the operator will be asked to take steps to comply. The number of site monitoring visits may then be increased to ensure compliance. If non-compliance continues, enforcement action may be taken.

Report a suspected breach

For mineral and waste sites

If you're concerned that a minerals or waste site is not meeting the conditions of planning permission, please email us at [email protected]

Read our privacy notice to find out how we use your personal information.

Once we've received your complaint, an officer will investigate.

Right of entry

An authorised officer of the county council has the right, under the Section 196A of The Town and Country Planning Act, to enter land when investigating alleged breaches of planning control. Any person who prevents an authorised officer gaining access to land may be held liable to prosecution.

For all other developments

For any other developments you need to contact your local planning authority:

We only manage minerals and waste sites.