This short book is packed with necessary information on enforcing public planning control. It is a good example of the series of Wildy Practice Guides. An earlier title gave a brisk overview of the planning system; this new book has more focus, with enough meat for practical use as a starting point in the field.

Planning Enforcement has 12 chapters (152 pages of text plus 75 pages for 10 appendices). The cost is modest, but there is enough detail to prevent superficiality or undue patchiness.

A short introductory chapter is followed by a review of certain options, such as planning contravention notices, breach of condition notices and stop notices.

The core of the book rightly consists of four chapters: on enforcement notices – issue, service and content; appeals procedure; appeal grounds (with leading cases); and defects and variation. Then come chapters on listed building enforcement notices, certificates of lawful existing use or development, consequences of non-compliance (including criminal sanctions such as confiscation of proceeds), injunctions and statutory appeals to the Planning Court. A chapter covers changes by the Localism Act 2011 and introduces the National Planning Policy Framework.

Authors: David Travers QC, Edward Grant and Emmaline Lambert

Publisher: Wildy, Simmonds and Hill Publishing (£23.50)

The appendices include some specimen documents geared to a case study (conversion into flats) and the amended relevant sections of the 1990 statute. The structure is sensible, though enforcement time limits may warrant a distinct chapter. Space constraints are shown by a lack of index and tables (a pity) and no texts of regulations.

Perhaps comparison with Richard Harwood’s splendid book of the same name is unfair as that is much more extensive – and expensive. The Wildy book scores on its own terms by giving the basics to the busy practitioner; text is short and direct. This book is commended to those whose time is precious.

Gerald Moran is a partner at Hunters, Lincoln’s Inn

Topics