Councils have been given access to £1m funding to cover the cost of seeking a court injunction against though who flout planning laws.
Communities secretary, Eric Pickles, said the new Planning Enforcement Fund would help councils to crack down on unauthorised developments. Previously it could cost councils up to £13,000 per case to secure a court injunction.
Mr Pickles said: ‘Councils should not be afraid of using court injunctions for serious planning breaches and this new £1m enforcement fund gives councils extra resources in the fight against unauthorised development.
‘The public rightly expects fair play in the planning system. Law-abiding residents follow the rules and obtain planning permission so they find it galling to see others who don’t. That’s why we set up this new fund to help councils act swiftly to stop unauthorised development.’
The fund will provide councils with up to £10,000 per case and should help pay towards more than 90 court injunction up to march 2016.
