Planning enforcement

The local enforcement plan and information on how to request an enforcement investigation.

Our enforcement case priorities

  1. Breaches of greatest impact will take priority. These include unauthorised development, breaches of planning permission and those that cause harm to heritage assets, protected trees and those that cause serious harm to the living conditions of residents or local amenity.
    We will try to investigate all breaches reported to us, but we may take a little more time to look into technical breaches. It is important for us to operate in an open and transparent manner, so we have set out clearly what our enforcement priorities are:

Priority table

Priority 1 Priority 2 Priority 3
Irreversible harm Medium harm Minor technical breaches or those that cause little or no harm

Examples of type of breach:

  • Works that are harmful to listed buildings.
  • Unauthorised demolition of buildings in conservation areas.
  • Works to protected trees.
  • Serious unauthorised development.
  • Serious breaches of planning permission.

Examples of type of breach:

  • Development causing unacceptable harm to residential amenity .
  • Development that harms the character/appearance of a conservation area.
  • Inappropriate commercial uses.
  • Breach of planning conditions that cause noise, disturbance or loss of privacy.
  • Loss of permanent dwellings or the creation of substandard homes.
  • Development or a change of use that causes unacceptable highway safety harm.
     

Examples of type of breach:

  • Developments or breaches where minimal harm is anticipated.
  • Temporary breaches.
  • Breaches that would be likely to be granted planning permission.
    • Estate agent boards and small advertisements.

Site visit target:

One working day (depending on severity)

Site visit target:

10 working days    

Site visit target:

20 working days

Note:

  • The timescales given above are target days. 

  • In some circumstances site visits may take longer, for example if a large number of complaints are received within a short space of time, availability of staffing resources.

    2. When a report of an alleged breach is submitted, the matter will go through a triage process, normally carried out within two days of receipt. At this stage a Case Officer will be identified. It will be logged and investigated in accordance with the above priorities and the Complainant will receive correspondence providing this information.

For further information, please contact us:
Email
planning.enforcement@rbwm.gov.uk
Phone
01628 683810
Address

Planning Enforcement Team
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
Town Hall
St Ives Road
Maidenhead
SL6 1RF
United Kingdom