§ Mr. RobathanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to bring into force the remaining enforcement provisions of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991.
§ Sir George Young[holding answer 10 July 1992]: On 27 July we shall bring into force—
- (1) the new breach of condition notice (section 2 of the Act), enabling the local planning authority to enforce compliance with planning conditions more economically and efficiently;
- (2) the revised enforcement "immunity" rules (section 4 of the Act), establishing new time-limits for the planning authority to initiate enforcement action; and
- (3) the new "lawful development certificate" provisions (section 10 of the Act), enabling the planning authority to decide, on an application to them, whether present or proposed development of land is lawful for planning control purposes.
A joint Department of the Environment and Welsh Office circular is being issued today, explaining how these provisions are intended to operate.
These provisions complete the implementation of the Government's thorough overhaul of planning authorities' powers for enforcing planning control over all types of unauthorised development of land. Provided that planning authorities use these new and strengthened powers vigorously and quickly, whenever their use is justified, they should now be able to remedy unlawful development whenever it is unacceptable on planning grounds. We intend to review the effectiveness of the strengthened enforcement regime once it has been in operation for a reasonable period.