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Flood Control

Asked by Blake StephensonConservativeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 18 March 2025UIN 37387

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 182c of the National Planning Policy Framework, if she will publish guidance provided to local authorities on enforcement.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook

Local planning authorities already have a wide range of planning enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance.

The government is clear that effective enforcement is important to tackle breaches of planning control, including enforcing SuDS maintenance arrangements which do not conform to the planning permission.

Where the local planning authority thinks that a condition imposed on a planning permission has not been met, they can serve a breach of condition notice, which requires the recipient to remedy the breach within a specified time. There is no appeal against such a notice and failure to comply with it is an offence punishable by an unlimited fine.

We have published guidance on the enforcement powers available to local planning authorities. I do not have plans to publish further guidance on enforcement at this time.

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