Planning enforcement

Planning enforcement deals with and investigates any alleged reported planning breaches.

Planning enforcement can also investigate: 

  • the change of use of land/buildings without planning consent
  • unauthorised building works
  • non-compliance with conditions attached to a planning permission
  • unauthorised works to statutorily listed buildings
  • any direct or indirect damage  or unauthorised works to protected trees. please see our trees webpage for further details on protected trees
  • neglect to land or buildings which harm local amenity
  • display of unlawful advertisements  

Planning Enforcement cannot investigate:

Planning breaches

A planning breach can be when any work: 

  • is done without the right planning permission
  • doesn’t meet conditions set when the planning permission was granted

More information on what is a planning breach

How to report a potential planning breach

Report a planning breach online

You can report a potential planning breach by completing an online report form. We cannot accept telephone or anonymous reports.

You'll need to register or login to your Redbridge account. This means we can keep you updated on the progress of the investigation.

We use our Prioritisation Strategy (PDF 3.66MB) to determine the potential harm caused by the alleged breach of planning.  

Any information you give about an enforcement report will be treated confidentially. We will not reveal your identity to an owner or responsible party.

Planning enforcement and direct action policy

The Planning Enforcement and Direct Action Policy (PDF 957KB) gives guidance on how the Council deals with planning breaches.

The Policy provides guidance on how we will use ‘direct action’ to resolve long-standing planning breaches. Where appropriate, we will be able to enter land to correct a breach. This could involve demolishing unlawful structures.

In these instances the Council will seek to recover any costs incurred from the responsible parties. The option of this direct action will be used alongside prosecution and/or injunctions to resolve enforcement cases in a timely manner.

Planning Enforcement Register

Redbridge is currently working on a digital Planning Enforcement Register. Our team hope to have this ready by the end of 2025. In the meantime, copies of all planning enforcement notices served in the last 5 years are available below:

Alternative ways to submit a complaint

If you are unable to submit a report online you can post a letter to: 

Planning Enforcement
5th Floor Front
Lynton House
255-259 High Road
Ilford,
IG1 1NY