Report a Planning Breach

Planning control regulates the development and use of land to make sure that changes to our physical surroundings – buildings and land – are right for their purposes and location. Planning enforcement investigates alleged breaches of planning control.

If you suspect a breach of planning, you can complete the breach of planning online form below.

Check whether there has been a Planning Breach

Before reporting you should check that there has been a Planning Breach. You can check the Planning Portal to confirm that there is a planning breach, some work on properties is permitted development and does not need planning permission.

Planning Enforcement Policy
Our Planning Enforcement Policy provides details on Somerset Council’s approach to investigating unauthorised development and our decision-making process when deciding whether to take enforcement action.

Check planning register

Search our Planning Register to check if the works are already subject to a planning application. 

How to report a Planning Breach

You can report a planning breach in Sedgemoor using the form here:

What we do when we receive a report

Some complaints will require no further investigation because we identify that planning permission already exists for the work, or that planning permission was not required.

The quickest and best way to bring about a resolution is through negotiation. This lets the people responsible have a chance to sort the issue.

This may mean we:

• Suggest they make a retrospective application. The development being unauthorised will not affect how the decision will be made, it will be judged on its planning merits. If approved, it could authorise the development.  If refused they can appeal the decision
• Take formal action and serve notices to remove or stop works, or cease any use. The people responsible can appeal against the formal action. If there is an appeal, we will usually wait for a decision to be issued and then take further action as it is needed.

Register of Enforcement Notices

You can find details of planning enforcement notices for Sedgemoor here.