Part VII Enforcement

F1Breach of condition

F2187A Enforcement of conditions.

(1)

This section applies where planning permission for carrying out any development of land has been granted subject to conditions.

(2)

The local planning authority may, if any of the conditions is not complied with, serve a notice (in this Act referred to as a “breach of condition notice”) on—

(a)

any person who is carrying out or has carried out the development; or

(b)

any person having control of the land,

requiring him to secure compliance with such of the conditions as are specified in the notice.

(3)

References in this section to the person responsible are to the person on whom the breach of condition notice has been served.

(4)

The conditions which may be specified in a notice served by virtue of subsection (2)(b) are any of the conditions regulating the use of the land.

(5)

A breach of condition notice shall specify the steps which the authority consider ought to be taken, or the activities which the authority consider ought to cease, to secure compliance with the conditions specified in the notice.

(6)

The authority may by notice served on the person responsible withdraw the breach of condition notice, but its withdrawal shall not affect the power to serve on him a further breach of condition notice in respect of the conditions specified in the earlier notice or any other conditions.

(7)

The period allowed for compliance with the notice is—

(a)

such period of not less than twenty-eight days beginning with the date of service of the notice as may be specified in the notice; or

(b)

that period as extended by a further notice served by the local planning authority on the person responsible.

(8)

If, at any time after the end of the period allowed for compliance with the notice—

(a)

any of the conditions specified in the notice is not complied with; and

(b)

the steps specified in the notice have not been taken or, as the case may be, the activities specified in the notice have not ceased,

the person responsible is in breach of the notice.

(9)

If the person responsible is in breach of the notice he shall be guilty of an offence.

(10)

An offence under subsection (9) may be charged by reference to any day or longer period of time and a person may be convicted of a second or subsequent offence under that subsection by reference to any period of time following the preceding conviction for such an offence.

(11)

It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under subsection (9) to prove—

(a)

that he took all reasonable measures to secure compliance with the conditions specified in the notice; or

(b)

where the notice was served on him by virtue of subsection (2)(b), that he no longer had control of the land.

(12)

A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (9) shall be liable on summary conviction to a F3fine—

(a)

not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale if the land is in England;

(b)

not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale if the land is in Wales.

(13)

In this section—

(a)

“conditions” includes limitations; and

(b)

references to carrying out any development include causing or permitting another to do so.