Part VII Enforcement

Enforcement notices

177 Grant or modification of planning permission on appeals against enforcement notices.

(1)

On the determination of an appeal under section 174, the Secretary of State may—

F1(a)

grant planning permission in respect of the matters stated in the enforcement notice as constituting a breach of planning control, whether in relation to the whole or any part of those matters or in relation to the whole or any part of the land to which the notice relates;

(b)

discharge any condition or limitation subject to which planning permission was granted;

F2(c)

determine whether, on the date on which the appeal was made, any existing use of the land was lawful, any operations which had been carried out in, on, over or under the land were lawful or any matter constituting a failure to comply with any condition or limitation subject to which planning permission was granted was lawful and, if so, issue a certificate under section 191.

(1A)

The provisions of sections 191 to 194 mentioned in subsection (1B) shall apply for the purposes of subsection (1)(c) as they apply for the purposes of section 191, but as if—

(a)

any reference to an application for a certificate were a reference to the appeal and any reference to the date of such an application were a reference to the date on which the appeal is made; and

(b)

references to the local planning authority were references to the Secretary of State.

(1B)

Those provisions are: sections 191(5) to (7), 193(4) (so far as it relates to the form of the certificate), (6) and (7) and 194

(2)

In considering whether to grant planning permission under subsection (1), the Secretary of State shall have regard to the provisions of the development plan, so far as material to the subject matter of the enforcement notice, and to any other material considerations.

F3(3)

The planning permission that may be granted under subsection (1) is any planning permission that might be granted on an application under Part III.

(4)

Where under subsection (1) the Secretary of State discharges a condition or limitation, he may substitute another condition or limitation for it, whether more or less onerous.

(5)

Where an appeal against an enforcement notice is brought under section 174, the appellant shall be deemed to have made an application for planning permission F4in respect of the matters stated in the enforcement notice as constituting a breach of planning control.

F5(5A)

Where—

(a)

the statement under subsection (4) of section 174 specifies the ground mentioned in subsection (2)(a) of that section;

(b)

any fee is payable under regulations made by virtue of section 303 in respect of the application deemed to be made by virtue of the appeal; and

(c)

the Secretary of State gives notice in writing to the appellant specifying the period within which the fee must be paid,

then, if that fee is not paid within that period, the appeal, so far as brought on that ground, and the application shall lapse at the end of that period.

(6)

Any planning permission granted under subsection (1) on an appeal shall be treated as granted on the application deemed to have been made by the appellant.

(7)

In relation to a grant of planning permission or a determination under subsection (1) the Secretary of State’s decision shall be final.

(8)

For the purposes of section 69 the Secretary of State’s decision shall be treated as having been given by him in dealing with an application for planning permission made to the local planning authority.