Reading Borough Council (20 013 700)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Enforcement 31-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions in relation to a development next to Dr X’s property. There is no evidence of fault in how the Council has reached decisions about planning matters. The Council has also apologised for delays in dealing with Dr X’s complaints about planning enforcement and this is a suitable remedy. Dr X has not been caused an injustice as a result of the Council’s actions in relation to building regulation compliance.

London Borough of Southwark (21 009 521)

Statement Upheld Planning applications 30-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council granting planning permission for an extension to a flat below the complainant’s home. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. There is not enough evidence to suggest fault has affected the planning application outcome, the Council has offered a satisfactory remedy for its delays in responding to the complaint correspondence, and we cannot consider any parts of the complaint about the Council’s actions as freeholder of the building.

Hambleton District Council (21 018 842)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 30-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with the complainant’s planning application. This is because the complainant could have appealed to the Planning Inspector.

East Lindsey District Council (19 014 585)

Statement Upheld Enforcement 30-Mar-2022

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to follow procedure when its planning enforcement officers investigated his conversion of a garage to letting rooms. I do not consider there is fault causing injustice to Mr X by the Council.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council (21 001 670)

Statement Upheld Enforcement 30-Mar-2022

Summary: Mr X says the Council failed to act on his reports that his neighbour carried out development on a front driveway without planning permission. Mr X also complains the Council unreasonably decided to apply its policy on vexatious or persistent complainants to him. There was fault by the Council because it did not inform Mr X of the outcome of its planning enforcement investigation. It consequently improperly applied its policy on vexatious complainants. The Council agreed to apologise to Mr X and make a payment to him to address the injustice he suffered in consequence of its fault.

Cheshire East Council (21 009 784)

Statement Upheld Enforcement 29-Mar-2022

Summary: Mr X complains about inaction by the Council on a planning enforcement complaint. There was fault with the Council’s handling of the planning enforcement matter as well as its handling of Mr X’s complaint. However, the complainant was closed because the Ombudsman cannot achieve the outcome Mr X wants.

Birmingham City Council (21 018 921)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Enforcement 29-Mar-2022

Summary: We cannot investigate Mr B’s complaint about a planning enforcement notice. This is because Mr B used his right of appeal to the planning inspector.

Darlington Borough Council (21 018 248)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Planning applications 29-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with planning applications for a development near Mr X’s property. This is because the last planning decision was made by the Council in 2019 so this is a late complaint and there are no good reasons to investigate it now. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about a recent ecology survey because the Council was not involved in this being carried out.

Chelmsford City Council (21 018 258)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Enforcement 29-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s decision not to take enforcement action regarding his neighbour’s new windows, or request the neighbour to submit a retrospective planning application for the works. There is not enough evidence of Council fault in its decision-making process to warrant an investigation.

West Berkshire Council (20 004 358)

Statement Not upheld Enforcement 29-Mar-2022

Summary: Mr B complains that the Council failed to take appropriate action in respect of breaches of planning control relating to a nearby mobile home site. The Ombudsman has found no fault in the way the Council has decided to take no further action, so we cannot question the merits of that decision.