We bring former council enforcement experience to help you understand what the notice requires and whether to comply or appeal.
What is an Enforcement Notice?
An Enforcement Notice is formal action by the council requiring you to remedy a breach of planning control.
It sets out what the council says is wrong, what needs to happen, and the date it takes effect. You have a limited window to appeal before that date. After that, non-compliance is a criminal offence.
What this means
Unlike a Planning Contravention Notice, an Enforcement Notice means the council has already decided formal action is justified. The notice will specify the breach, the steps required to remedy it, and the compliance period once it takes effect.
What should I do next?
01
Read the notice in full
Identify exactly what breach is alleged and what steps are required.
02
Check the date it takes effect
Your appeal window runs to this date. Get advice quickly if it's close.
03
Consider whether you have grounds to appeal
Several statutory grounds may apply, depending on your situation.
04
Act well before the deadline
Appeals need to be prepared properly. Don't leave it to the last few days.
Deadlines and responding
The notice
Enforcement Notice
Commonly 28 days to appeal, before the notice takes effect.
Response required
Comply or appeal before it takes effect
An Enforcement Notice commonly gives you 28 days to appeal, before it takes effect.
Why responding matters
What happens if you don't
Non-compliance after the notice takes effect is a criminal offence. Appeals can take a long time to be decided: we'll give you a realistic view once we've reviewed your notice.
Source: Section 174, Town and Country Planning Act 1990
Common mistakes to avoid
Missing the appeal deadline
Once the notice takes effect, the option to appeal is gone.
Appealing on the wrong grounds
An appeal needs to address the grounds that actually apply to your situation.
Assuming the notice will be forgotten
Non-compliance after the notice takes effect is a criminal offence, not a formality.
How we can help
Review
The notice, planning history, site context and any prior correspondence.
Advise
Whether an appeal is realistic, on what grounds, and what the alternatives are.
Respond
We help prepare an appeal or compliance response and liaise where instructed.
Enquiries are free, whether you get in touch through the contact form or by phone. In-depth consultations start from £120.
1,000+
enforcement cases investigated. Experience built inside local government now informs the advice we give our clients.
Example scenario
How this can play out
The situation
A homeowner converted a garage into a self-contained annexe a few years ago without applying for permission. After a neighbour's complaint, the council investigates and issues an Enforcement Notice requiring the annexe's residential use to stop.
What matters
The appeal window runs from the date the notice takes effect, not from when it arrives. Once that date passes, continuing to use the annexe becomes a criminal offence, not just a compliance letter.
A possible route forward
The usual next step is a quick review of the notice and the site's planning history to see whether a genuine ground of appeal applies, and exactly how much of the window is actually left to use it.
Illustrative example, not a description of a specific client or case. Every situation is different, so get in touch for advice on yours.
Experience from the other side of enforcement
John Langdown
Founder & Planning Enforcement Specialist
John has personally investigated over 1,000 planning enforcement cases while working for numerous Local Planning Authorities across England, covering residential extensions, changes of use, complex commercial sites and large-scale developments. That means we do not have to guess how a council will interpret evidence or decide whether to act. John has made that exact decision, from that exact seat, over a thousand times.
Common questions about an Enforcement Notice
Speak to someone who understands your notice.
Free, no-obligation and confidential: tell us what you've received and we'll explain where you stand.
Free initial conversation
To understand your situation and whether we can help.
We aim to respond within one working day
Every enquiry is treated in strictest confidence.