Untidy land or buildings

Where the condition of land severely adversely affects the amenity of a neighbourhood the Council may require its proper maintenance. This involves approaching the land owner concerned and seeking a voluntary solution before moving towards powers available under s215 of the Planning Act. 

These powers enable the Council to serve a notice on a land  owner requiring that they take steps to tidy their land and specifying a  timetable for it to be achieved. The Council will first need to establish who  the owner/s of land is/are before serving a notice, and this can take some time  (for example, Land Registry searches, local enquiries etc) to achieve as it is  imperative that all the correct parties are found. There is also a right of  appeal against the service of such notices and the measures that they require,  which is made to the Magistrates Court.

The Government has produced extensive guidance on the scope and use of this legislation

Find out more information on untidy land and buildings using the Government’s Best Practice Guidance.