The Enforcement Strategy

The Enforcement Strategy sets out the Department's objectives for planning enforcement, its guiding principles, and priorities for enforcement action and performance targets.

Please note:  The Department has introduced new legislation for taking enforcement action against breaches of planning control. Enforcement action must be taken within a 5 year time period in respect of both changes of use and operational development.

The change is one of a series of measures included within the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 to strengthen and simplify enforcement powers. This legislation is necessary to standardise and simplify the range of options. The new provisions should result in a more efficient system of control, less confusion and greater clarity in dealing with breaches of planning control.

All documentation will be amended in due course to reflect this change.