HC Deb 22 April 1993 vol 223 c152W
Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what time limits exist for local authorities to take enforcement action against non-conforming uses within the green belt, from the time that the alleged non-conforming use commenced.

Mr. Baldry

Section 171B of the Town and Country Planning Act—inserted by section 4(1) of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991—effectively provides that, where a breach of planning control involves a "material" change of use of land, no enforcement action may be taken after the end of the 10-year period from the date of the breach. Where the breach of control involves the change of use of any building to use as a single dwellinghouse, section 171B(2) of the 1990 Act provides that no enforcement action may be taken after the end of the four-year period from the date of the breach. These provisions apply regardless of whether the land is in a green belt.