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What is Planning Enforcement?

Planning enforcement deals with breaches of planning controls, including where works requiring planning permission or Listed Building Consent are carried out with such consent first being sought, where conditions attached to a planning permission are not complied with, or where the use of a building or land is changed without planning permission.

The Northumberland National Park Local Enforcement Plan sets out what constitutes a breach of planning control and explains how enforcement complaints are investigated and prioritised and what action we can take when planning permission is breached.

If you are concerned that a breach of planning control may have taken place this can be reported to the Planning team.  A planning register of enforcement and stop notices are available to view online here.

Report a planning concern

Northumberland National Park Authority has a responsibility to deal with breaches of planning control and to decide whether or not enforcement action should be taken.

If you are concerned that a potential breach of planning control has occurred, you may report this confidentially to the planning team providing as much information as possible about:

  • The address or location of the land or buildings involved
  • The nature of the activity about which you are concerned
  • Any specific problems you have experienced, such as noise, increased traffic, dust, smells, etc
  • If possible, the names and contact details of the owners or occupiers of the property and/or the developers involved
  • Dates on which the activity started and (if appropriate) ended

Concerns can also be reported to us using our online form.

The National Park Authority will investigate all reported breaches of planning control and will consider whether to take further action. We will notify you of the outcome of any matter which you report to us.

If you are not then satisfied with the way in which we have dealt with the activity which you reported, we will be happy to discuss our reasons for dealing with the matter in a particular way. If you are still unhappy a complaint may be made using the Authority’s complaints procedure.