Have your say on planning enforcement in Bassetlaw council’s latest consultation

The eight-week consultation on a Draft Planning Enforcement Protocol – how the Council will investigate and deal with reported breaches of planning control in a ‘consistent, fair and proportionate way’ – is the first part of a staged approach to a new Planning Enforcement Strategy for Bassetlaw.

The Council has a duty to investigate alleged breaches of planning control and has powers to take action where it is appropriate to do so.

The Draft Planning Enforcement Protocol aims to make the process easy to understand and to improve communication with everyone who uses the service.

Responses received as part of the consultation of the Draft Protocol will shape any changes that are needed to improve how the Council delivers this service and the overall experience of customers.

Councillor Jo White, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “There are times when buildings or walls are being built or demolished, or trees are being cut down and concerns are raised that planning regulations are not being appropriately followed.

“It’s important that concerns and complaints from residents, businesses and other stakeholders can be easily raised and that there is a very clear process that our officers will follow.

“I welcome the establishment of this set of guidelines and I hope that people will take a look at what is being proposed and tell us if there is anything that needs strengthening or requires more information during this consultation period.

“Your feedback is important and it will inform the next stages of this review.”

Some of the areas that the Council’s Draft Planning Enforcement Protocol includes are:

Service standards and investigation timescales – What we will do, when we will do it, and how we prioritise

Appealing an Enforcement Notice – How to appeal and what are appropriate grounds

Trees and Woodlands – What to do if works have been (or are being) undertaken to protected trees

You can read the Draft Planning Enforcement Protocol and submit your views through the consultation by visiting www.bassetlaw.gov.uk/planningenforcement

The consultation will take place over eight weeks and will close on Thursday February 17, 2022.

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