Agenda item - Planning Enforcement Policy

Report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture

1)            That Members agree the Enforcement Policy Document in Appendix 1 for implementation from the 1 January 2019 subject to minor alterations to correct grammatical errors with the agreement of the Head of Planning.

27.1      The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture that requested approval of the updated Planning Enforcement Policy document.

27.2      Councillor Cattell welcomed the report and thanked officers for their work in updating the document. Councillor Cattell stated that the modern enforcement process was more positive in approach, more integrated in the planning process and there was more use of qualified planners leading to a more considered approach.

27.3      Councillor Mears thanked officers for producing a detailed report on a complex issue and for hosting a workshop on the matter ahead of the committee. Councillor Mears asked what the number of outstanding enforcement requests were.

27.4      The Planning Manager clarified that there were currently 830 requests outstanding but of that number, some could be on hold awaiting appeals or pending the expiration of the notice. Furthermore, the number of cases not allocated to an officer for investigation was 415.

27.5      Councillor Nemeth asked how enforcement success would be measured and how councillors could request investigations under the new process.

27.6      The Planning Manager that success would be measured on how quickly cases could be allocated and resolved and clarified that the request for investigation form was easy to use and prompted a lot of information but emails from Members would also be accepted.

27.7      RESOLVED- That Members agree the Enforcement Policy Document in Appendix 1 for implementation from the 1 January 2019 subject to minor alterations to correct grammatical errors with the agreement of the Head of Planning.