The assistance of the public is often crucial to the success of planning enforcement action by us. Due to the amount of activity relating to building going on in the Ashford area, both authorised and unauthorised, it would be impossible for us to identify all possible breaches of planning control, without an army of compliance officers and at great expense.

Enforcement work is undertaken following receipt of a written complaint other than in exceptional circumstances such as the imminent felling of a protected tree, or works to a listed building.

During the enforcement process, information from residents can often add to that held on official records. When alerting us to a possible breach it is useful to have as much information as possible included in the written complaint and, where appropriate, photographs. This should include the date the activity started, the exact location of the building or part of the building, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the owners, occupiers, builders and agents. Details of the effect that the activity is having on amenity eg noise, traffic, smells and overshadowing should also be included. The more details provided, the quicker the problem will be resolved.

In certain cases, the complainant will be asked to complete "record of event" forms to help us to decide whether the use is unauthorised. Such information can be invaluable and may help speed up the process of determining whether there is a breach of planning control.

If an appeal is lodged against an enforcement notice, we will notify anyone who informed us of the matter and ask if they wish to submit additional information or appear at an inquiry or hearing, to support our case. The strength of local support can be crucial to our success. Once an appeal has been lodged any subsequent representations received become public documents which are available for public inspection, including the appellant and their legal representatives.