South Oxfordshire District Council (18 019 249)

Statement Upheld Enforcement 04-Oct-2019

Summary: Resident X and six other residents complained the Council delayed and failed to take appropriate enforcement action for breaches of planning control on the occupiers of four plots of land near their homes. The Council was not at fault for how it carried out its enforcement investigation. It was at fault for failing to adequately communicate timescales and decisions to the complaints. It will apologise to Resident X and the six other residents for the uncertainty and time and trouble it caused.

Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council (18 015 970)

Statement Not upheld Enforcement 03-Oct-2019

Summary: Mr X complains about the actions of the Council since 2011 in respect of planning enforcement relating to development of the pub next door to him. He says the Council has failed to act. The Ombudsman found no evidence of fault in this case. The Council cannot take enforcement action for older parts of the development because of the time that has passed. Newer aspects remain under investigation, but the Council is entitled to consider it is not currently expedient to take formal enforcement action.

Herefordshire Council (19 001 020)

Statement Upheld Enforcement 03-Oct-2019

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to take action about unauthorised development by his neighbour. We found the Council’s decision not to take action was flawed. We recommended the decision was reviewed and the Council paid Mr X £250.

Surrey Heath Borough Council (19 006 564)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Enforcement 01-Oct-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s delay in responding to an email about a planning matter. This is because the injustice arising from the delay is not so significant as to warrant the Ombudsman pursuing the matter further.

London Borough of Croydon (18 012 955)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Enforcement 01-Oct-2019

Summary: We have not investigated Mr X’s complaint that the Council failed to take effective enforcement action over his neighbours’ unauthorised development. It is unlikely further investigation by us will lead to a different outcome. We cannot investigate the Council’s handling of a retrospective planning application as Mr X has taken court action against the Council. We cannot investigate issues Mr X has had with his neighbour during the build because these are not due to a Council function.

Three Rivers District Council (19 002 095)

Statement Not upheld Enforcement 26-Sep-2019

Summary: Mr B complains the Council has allowed his neighbour to significantly increase land levels to create a patio and path. Mr B says his property is now at risk of flooding. We find the Council’s decisions to grant planning permission and later to not take enforcement action were not affected by fault. This means we cannot say the Council’s decisions were right or wrong. We have completed our investigation.

Telford & Wrekin Council (18 019 356)

Statement Not upheld Enforcement 26-Sep-2019

Summary: Mr B says the Council has failed to take enforcement action in respect of the untidy condition of a farm adjoining his property and the storage of items which he considers to be Council waste and fly-tipped items. The Ombudsman is satisfied the Council has properly investigated Mr B’s concerns. In the absence of fault, the Ombudsman does not question the Council’s decision that there are no grounds to justify enforcement action.

London Borough of Harrow (19 007 247)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Enforcement 26-Sep-2019

Summary: Mr X complains that the Council has failed to take planning enforcement action against a neighbour who has failed to complete building work. The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint because there is insufficient injustice to Mr X to warrant investigation.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council (18 010 148)

Statement Not upheld Enforcement 25-Sep-2019

Summary: Mrs D complains that the Council did not properly investigate her complaint about an alleged change of use of a neighbouring site in 2012. She says the Council should have identified a breach of planning control and required an application for planning permission. As a result, she lost the opportunity to object to the change in use of the land. The Ombudsman has not found fault in the way the Council decided to end its enforcement investigation in 2012.

London Borough of Newham (18 018 967)

Statement Not upheld Enforcement 25-Sep-2019

Summary: Mr B complains about how the Council dealt with breaches of planning control at a development close to his home. I have completed my investigation on the basis that there was no fault in the way the Council dealt with the matter.