We bring former council enforcement experience to help you understand what has been requested and decide how to respond.
What is a Planning Contravention Notice?
A Planning Contravention Notice is a formal request for information from the council.
It may be used where the council suspects a breach of planning control.
What this means
Receiving a Planning Contravention Notice does not itself mean the council has decided that formal enforcement action will follow.
It's a formal request for information: the council is gathering the facts of the situation before deciding what, if anything, should happen next. How you respond can affect that outcome.
What should I do if I've received a PCN?
01
Read exactly what has been requested
The notice sets out specific questions. Answer only what is being asked.
02
Check the deadline shown on your notice
You have 21 days to respond from the date it was served.
03
Consider the implications of your response
What you say matters, and shapes everything that follows.
04
Get advice if anything is unclear
Especially if there is any ambiguity about what has happened on the land.
Deadlines and responding
The notice
Planning Contravention Notice
21 days to respond, from the date the notice was served.
Response required
Respond to the notice
A Planning Contravention Notice gives you 21 days to respond, from the date it was served.
Why responding matters
What happens if you don't
Failing to respond within 21 days is a criminal offence, punishable by a fine of up to £1,000. Knowingly or recklessly giving false or misleading information is a separate, more serious offence with an uncapped fine.
Source: Section 171D(1), Town and Country Planning Act 1990
How we can help with a Planning Contravention Notice
Review
The notice, relevant planning history, file and correspondence.
Advise
We explain what the authority is seeking and identify the relevant issues.
Respond
We help prepare an appropriate 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.
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 a PCN
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.