Planning Enforcement Policy

Planning Enforcement in East Cambridgeshire is undertaken in accordance with the Council's Corporate Enforcement Protocol (PDF), meaning that enforcement should be: Transparent, Accountable, Proportionate, Consistent and Targeted.

The main objectives for the Planning Enforcement Team are:

  • To remedy any undesirable effects of unauthorised development
  • To balance the protection of amenity/environment and any other interests whilst enabling development to take place, even if it may have originally been unauthorised
  • To ensure the credibility of the planning system is not undermined
  • To carry out enforcement duties in accordance with the principles of the Enforcement Protocol
  • To be pro-active in regard to monitoring development as well as reactive in the investigation of complaints
  • To work with other agencies and organisations, both internally and externally to deliver acceptable outcomes

The Council's Local Enforcement Plan (PDF) outlines how the Council's Enforcement Team operates and explains more about their role within the Local Planning Authority.

Make a complaint about an enforcement investigation

If you are not satisfied with how the Council has dealt with a planning enforcement matter, please contact the Senior Enforcement Officer in the first instance to discuss your concerns. If you are still unhappy with the outcome, you can make a formal complaint using the Council's complaints procedure. More information is available on the Compliments and Complaints section of this website. 

In some cases you can complain to the Local Government Ombudsman (external link) (LGO) about how a Local Planning Authority handled a planning enforcement investigation. The LGO is unable to investigate a complaint just because you do not agree with the decision taken and they have no power to alter a decision.