Officers investigating a report look for the facts, and will only state that a breach has occurred when it is proven on site.

Officers of the Council have a legal right to enter your land to investigate any reported breaches.

The Council will, in most cases, write to yourself as the landowner when a breach of control is checked and proved. They will ask you to remedy the breach voluntarily, in an agreed timescale.

If you do not co-operate with the Council, then you will be advised that enforcement action is likely to be taken. At each stage of formal enforcement action the Council may, if appropriate, seek to offer you other options that will avoid time consuming and often costly appeals or prosecution proceedings. Officers will seek to ensure that you are left in no doubt as to your responsibility to remedy the breach of control.