Carrying out building work without planning permission

The best thing to do before starting any building works is to get advice about planning permission and building regulations. 

You can find more information on the pages below:

Make sure you're clear about planning permission

Planning permission is needed if you're a developer building new houses, shops, factories and similar buildings.

Planning permission may be needed:

  • if you're a home owner carrying out small works, such as building walls, extensions, garages, car ports or constructing hard standings;
  • to change the use of land and buildings, for example, extending a garden into an adjoining field or changing a shop to a hot food take away.

Unauthorised building work/development

It's not an offence to carry out building work or development without planning permission. If you do, we can take enforcement action, especially if the appearance of the area or the living conditions of local residents, is adversely affected.

Reporting a breach of planning permission

You can tell us about building work or a development that doesn't have planning permission by reporting a breach of planning permission online.