Kettering Borough Council (19 011 248)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Enforcement 09-Dec-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr B’s complaint about the way the Council has dealt with a planning and enforcement matter. Further consideration of the complaint is unlikely to find fault with the way the Council has made its decisions.

Durham County Council (19 005 186)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Enforcement 06-Dec-2019

Summary: Ms X complains about the Council’s failure to take enforcement action against a neighbour who has built a wooden structure at the front of their house. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because there is insufficient injustice to warrant investigation.

London Borough of Bexley (19 003 199)

Statement Upheld Enforcement 02-Dec-2019

Summary: The Council took too long to decide a planning application. This meant that Mr B suffered a loss of privacy for longer than necessary from his neighbour’s new extension. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mr B and pay him £500 in recognition of the impact on him. There was no fault in how the Council decided the application or in the enforcement action it took when the neighbour breached the planning permission.

London Borough of Bromley (19 001 077)

Statement Upheld Enforcement 29-Nov-2019

Summary: The Council is at fault in how it investigated Mr X’s complaint about a breach of condition at a development site adjacent to his property. The Council’s communication with Mr X was also poor. The faults by the Council caused frustration and put Mr X to avoidable time and trouble which the Council has agreed to remedy by making a payment of £150 to him.

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council (19 009 743)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Enforcement 28-Nov-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr D’s complaint about the way the Council has dealt with an enforcement matter at a nearby business. The Ombudsman cannot investigate complaints about decisions that have been the subject of appeals to the Planning Inspector and cannot investigate a complaint about the commencement of court proceedings.

South Gloucestershire Council (18 018 152)

Statement Not upheld Enforcement 27-Nov-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman found no fault on Mr S’s complaint of the Council failing to properly check the plans sent by a neighbour for an extension. The errors on the plans were not significant or obvious. There was no fault on his complaint about the Council deciding not to take enforcement action for 2 breaches. These were likely to get consent if approval was sought and the Council had discretion to make this decision.

London Borough of Enfield (19 010 062)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Enforcement 27-Nov-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of a planning enforcement matter. This is because it is unlikely we could achieve anything for Mr X at present.

Broxtowe Borough Council (19 006 034)

Statement Not upheld Enforcement 25-Nov-2019

Summary: Mr X complains of failure by the Council to take planning enforcement action after a developer raised the ground level at a property. However, Mr X does not live next door to the property, so there is no injustice to him.

Epping Forest District Council (18 017 534)

Statement Upheld Enforcement 20-Nov-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman should not investigate this complaint about a notice the Council posted on Mr B’s land stating he did not have planning permission. This is because the Council has already put matters right as far as reasonably possible and the Ombudsman would be unlikely to recommend further action.

Bedford Borough Council (19 011 399)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Enforcement 20-Nov-2019

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council’s refusal to take planning enforcement action against a neighbour. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because there is no evidence of fault by the Council.