Agenda item

The Monitoring & Enforcement Manager introduced the report.  He drew attention to paragraphs 3.5 and 3.6 of the report which recorded that the Team’s two performance targets had been met.  In relation to the case at Fox Holes Farm (ref: 10/0189A) listed in paragraph 3.1, he  explained that there was a backlog of appeal cases with the Planning Inspectorate (PINS)  often resulting in the Authority experiencing delays of several months before the formal appeal process is started.

The officer also drew attention to the chart in paragraph 3.8, which showed that although there are a high number of outstanding breaches, a large proportion of these have been created relatively recently and there is a high turnover of cases.

In relation to case ref: 17/0055, listed in paragraph 4 of the report, Members raised the issue of untidy land and how this can be dealt with by the Monitoring & Enforcement Team.  The officer explained that evidence is needed that the condition of the site adversely affects the amenity of the area as per section 215 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990.  It also needs to be expedient to take action.

Members requested that the table  in Appendix 1 be reported to Committee more frequently.  Members also requested a list of outstanding issues and details of where these are located.

Members requested an update on a  a case relating to an unauthorised agricultural building near Taddington (ref: 16/0022) which had been ongoing since October 2015.  The officer explained that a retrospective application for the building was refused in August 2016 and a subsequent appeal was dismissed in February 2017.  The building will become immune from enforcement action no earlier than October 2019 but, if expedient, an enforcement notice to remove it will be issued well in advance of this date.

RESOLVED:

To note the report