Planning enforcement aims to investigate alleged breaches of planning control, ensuring development has any required permissions.
The Ipswich Local Planning Enforcement Plan sets out how alleged breaches will be investigated, the enforcement actions that can be taken, and the standard of service to be expected. It was adopted on 8 July 2025, and can be downloaded below:
Local Planning Enforcement Plan (PDF)
What could be considered a breach of planning control?
- Building an extension or making alterations to a building without planning permission if it is needed
- Unauthorised works to listed buildings or protected trees
- Breach of conditions attached to a planning permission
- Unauthorised display of advertisements
- Unauthorised change of use of building or land
What is NOT considered a breach of planning control?
- Land ownership or boundary disputes
- Parking of commercial vehicles on the highway, in residential areas or on grass verges
- Operating a business from home, where the residential use remains the main use and there is no major impact on residential neighbours
- Parking a caravan within the garden of a house, where it is being used for a purpose associated with the main house
- Clearing land of undergrowth, bushes and trees (where they are not protected by a Tree Preservation Order, Planning Condition, or Conservation Area)
To report a breach of planning control, please use the Interactive Planning Guidance:
Interactive Planning Guidance - Contact Us - Planning - My Ipswich