Enforcement & legal challenges

Enforcement is a specialist area of planning and one that can be very worrying to clients. We have been successfully involved in many cases for both commercial and householder clients. This has most often been through fair, but firm, negotiations with the planning department to resolve the matter. However, we are also well-versed in the more formal and complex aspects of enforcement, including planning appeals and listed building appeals.

The practice is also experienced in lawful development matters, through the submission of applications for Certificates of Lawfulness and also appeals. A regular area of work is reviewing of planning permissions and listed building consents to ascertain whether existing developments are lawful, or if there are any risks with buildings or sites.

We are experienced in providing advice relating to the possibility of successful challenge to the decision of a Council or by a Planning Inspector. We can undertake direct instructions to the necessary barrister for any challenge. We provide an expert witness service for Courts and for land tribunals, having been the expert witness in a number of High Court matters.