The Planning Enforcement team is responsible for investigating unauthorised development and breaches of planning control in Milton Keynes. 

What is a breach of planning control?

A breach of planning control is defined as: 

• the carrying out of development without the required permission or exemptions (e.g. house extensions above a certain size, construction of garden fences above a specified height, material changes of use, display of certain adverts, or certain works to listed buildings or protected trees); or  

• failing to comply with any condition or limitation subject to which permission or consent has been granted. 

Permission can be expressly granted by the Council, following an application being made, or under permitted development rights or deemed consent provisions for adverts. 

What is not a breach of planning control?

Certain works and uses can be carried out without being an act of development. These include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• interior alterations (except retail mezzanine floors of more than 200 square metres); 

• building operations which do not materially affect the external appearance of a building; 

• a change in the use of land or buildings where the before and after use falls within the same use class. 

Furthermore, development being carried out in accordance with an express grant of permission, listed on the planning register, or under permitted development rights is not a breach of planning control. 

What we can investigate

We investigate breaches of planning control that are brought to our attention by completing the online enforcement form below. We cannot investigate anticipated breaches. 

Investigations are carried out in line with our Local Enforcement Plan. We can only investigate when a breach has occurred (rather than before it has happened). 

Examples of breaches that will be investigated are: 

• Unauthorised building or engineering works; 

• Unauthorised changes in use of land or buildings; 

• Works or uses being carried out in breach of conditions attached to a permission or consent; 

• unauthorised works to protected trees or trees in a conservation area above a certain size; 

• unauthorised works to a listed building or display of an advert; or 

• untidy land which adversely affects the amenity of the area.  

Matters investigated by others

Where activities do not constitute a breach of planning control, it may be possible for other Council teams or external organisations to investigate: 

• damage to adopted roads, including redways, grass verges and pavements, street lighting and bollards, is investigated by the Council’s highways team; 

• works taking place within the highway, such as replacement or repair of sewers, or off-site improvement works to support developments, may be subject to control under the Council’s highways team; 

• on-street parking problems can be investigated by Parking Services, or the Police where it is causing a hazard; 

• abandoned vehicles may be investigated by waste and recycling services; 

• concerns over the licencing of goods vehicles can be reported to the Traffic Commissioner; 

• builders working unusual or unsocial hours, or noise disturbances and anti-social behaviour, are investigated by the Environmental Health team; 

• concerns related to health and safety on building sites are addressed by the Health and Safety Executive; 

• dangerous structures should be reported to our Building Control team; 

• issues with maintenance of landscaping and open spaces, or with vegetation overhanging the adopted highway, can be reported to landscape services; 

• boundary or land ownership disputes and matters relating to the Party Wall Act 1996 are civil matters and you would need to seek independent legal advice or contact Citizens Advice; 

• disputes regarding high hedges are investigated by the Environmental Services team; 

• concerns over the handling or storage of waste are investigated by the Environment Agency; 

• unauthorised traveller encampments on public or highway land are investigated by the Environmental Health team; 

Disputes over property boundaries, land ownership or covenants are private matters. The Council cannot assist you with these queries. You should seek your own legal advice or speak with the Citizens Advice Bureau. 

Similarly, matters relating to shared boundaries, or ‘party walls’, should be addressed under the provisions of the Party Wall Act. 

Report a breach of planning control

Having had regard to the above advice and satisfied yourself that the matter concerns a breach of planning control, please complete the reporting form using the link below. 

Please note that we may pass your details to other Council departments or other external partner organisations in order to carry out our investigation, or where they are better suited to investigating your complaint. We will only share the information to enable us to deal with this matter. Please refer to our privacy policy and the corporate privacy notice for further details on how we use your personal data. 

Please note: When completing the form, your enquiry will be reported as ‘closed’ immediately after submission as the information is passed to the Planning Enforcement system. You will receive separate correspondence within the next two working days advising you of the enforcement reference number and officer.

Report a breach of planning control

The planning enforcement register

The planning enforcement register is held by the Council, in its capacity as the local planning authority, at the Civic offices. Please make a search under Land Charges provisions to establish whether an enforcement notice applies to the property or land concerned, or contact planning services if you require information relating to it.