Barking and Dagenham Council's Cabinet has approved the borough's first dedicated Planning Enforcement Policy, setting out how the council will investigate and respond to alleged breaches of planning regulations over the next four years.

The Planning Enforcement Policy 2026-2030 establishes a clear and consistent approach to planning enforcement, helping residents, businesses and developers better understand how concerns are assessed, prioritised and investigated. The policy has been designed to ensure enforcement action is fair, proportionate and focused on addressing cases that cause the greatest harm to local communities.

Planning enforcement plays an important role in managing growth and regeneration across Barking and Dagenham, helping to protect residential amenity, preserve local character and ensure development takes place in line with planning rules. The policy confirms that while enforcement powers are discretionary, the council will take action where it is necessary and expedient to remedy unacceptable planning harm.

Residents will have a published set of service standards outlining how planning enforcement cases are handled. These include acknowledging reports within three working days, aiming to carry out site visits within 14 working days and providing updates at key stages of an investigation.

The policy also introduces a risk-based approach to prioritising cases, enabling resources to be focused on the most serious breaches. High-priority cases will include those causing significant or irreparable harm, breaches of existing enforcement notices and cases where statutory time limits are close to expiring.

Alongside formal enforcement powers, the council will continue to encourage voluntary compliance and work with landowners and developers to resolve issues where appropriate. However, where breaches are deliberate, persistent or have a significant impact on residents or the local environment, the council will not hesitate to take formal action.

Councillor Syed Ghani, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, said: "Residents rightly expect planning rules to be applied fairly and consistently. This new Planning Enforcement Policy provides greater transparency about how we investigate concerns, prioritise cases and take action where breaches are causing harm to our communities."

"While planning enforcement is not a statutory function, we have chosen to invest in this service because it plays an important role in maintaining confidence in the planning system and ensuring fairness for everyone.”