The council is ensuring development in Royal Greenwich benefits everyone through a new Planning Enforcement Plan, which is subject to Cabinet approval on Wednesday 18 February.
The finalised plan sets out how we investigate and respond to breaches of planning control, no matter how big or small, from developers building without planning consent to protecting trees or listed buildings.
It provides a simple and transparent framework for helping to protect the integrity of the planning system, which is a catalyst for placemaking, regeneration and good growth.
Councillor Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, said: “Our borough is pro-growth, pro-investment and pro-development, but that must never mean compromising on the quality of developments that are brought forward. We are very clear that development must be of a high quality, sustainable, and above all, lawful.
“This plan clearly demonstrates how we’ll uphold the rules to not only protect local communities and the heritage of our borough, but also to ensure good quality development is delivered.
“Not many locations can lay claim to a World Heritage Site, but we can, and it is through frameworks such as this that we can protect the borough’s rich history while welcoming new investment.”
Key features of the Planning Enforcement Plan include:
- Graded categories that prioritise investigations based on risk and harm
- Updated time limits for enforcement following changes to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023
- A clear and detailed breakdown of enforcement tools available
- Guidance on what a breach is and how to report it
The adoption of the plan, subject to Cabinet approval, comes after the council launched a consultation last year which invited residents and businesses to have their say.