Commons Sense

House of Commons · General Debate

Unauthorised Development (Offences)

21 September 2021 · 1 other contributor

Opened by Gareth Bacon Con Orpington

Environment

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Gareth Bacon raised concerns about unauthorised development (offences) in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.

Key points

  • The purpose of the Bill is to close loopholes in the planning system that allow unauthorised development.
  • Development without permission is not currently a criminal offence under planning rules.
  • Government data indicates that enforcement measures for unauthorised development are rarely effective.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Gareth Bacon Con Orpington

The purpose of this Bill is to ensure fairness in the planning system by closing loopholes that allow unauthorised development. Currently, under planning rules, development without permission is not a criminal offence, leading to frequent exploitation of such practices. The proposed legislation aims to remove permissible grounds for unauthorised developments and make them an offence, thereby removing appeal routes and rights of retrospective applications. Government data from March 2021 shows that enforcement measures are rarely effective due to lengthy processes.

Other contributors (1)
  • Gareth Bacon Con Orpington

    Mr Bacon highlighted a specific case in his constituency where an unauthorised development has been ongoing on Wheatsheaf Hill, causing concern among residents and local authorities. Despite legal measures like court injunctions, the work continues unabated, suggesting that current enforcement mechanisms are insufficient deterrents.

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