Town and Country Planning Act 1990

Chapter IILand Adversely Affecting Amenity of Neighbourhood

215Power to require proper maintenance of land

(1)If it appears to the local planning authority that the amenity of a part of their area, or of an adjoining area, is adversely affected by the condition of land in their area, they may serve on the owner and occupier of the land a notice under this section.

(2)The notice shall require such steps for remedying the condition of the land as may be specified in the notice to be taken within such period as may be so specified.

(3)Subject to the following provisions of this Chapter, the notice shall take effect at the end of such period as may be specified in the notice.

(4)That period shall not be less than 28 days after the service of the notice.

216Penalty for non-compliance with s. 215 notice

(1)The provisions of this section shall have effect where a notice has been served under section 215.

(2)If any owner or occupier of the land on whom the notice was served fails to take steps required by the notice within the period specified in it for compliance with it, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

(3)Where proceedings have been brought under subsection (2) against a person as the owner of the land and he has, at some time before the end of the compliance period, ceased to be the owner of the land, if he—

(a)duly lays information to that effect, and

(b)gives the prosecution not less than three clear days' notice of his intention,

he shall be entitled to have the person who then became the owner of the land brought before the court in the proceedings.

(4)Where proceedings have been brought under subsection (2) against a person as the occupier of the land and he has, at some time before the end of the compliance period, ceased to be the occupier of the land, if he—

(a)duly lays information to that effect, and

(b)gives the prosecution not less than three clear days' notice of his intention,

he shall be entitled to have brought before the court in the proceedings the person who then became the occupier of the land or, if nobody then became the occupier, the person who is the owner at the date of the notice.

(5)Where in such proceedings—

(a)it has been proved that any steps required by the notice under section 215 have not been taken within the compliance period, and

(b)the original defendant proves that the failure to take those steps was attributable, in whole or in part, to the default of a person specified in a notice under subsection (3) or (4),

then—

(i)that person may be convicted of the offence; and

(ii)if the original defendant also proves that he took all reasonable steps to ensure compliance with the notice, he shall be acquitted of the offence.

(6)If, after a person has been convicted under the previous provisions of this section, he does not as soon as practicable do everything in his power to secure compliance with the notice, he shall be guilty of a further offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £40 for each day following his first conviction on which any of the requirements of the notice remain unfulfilled.

(7)Any reference in this section to the compliance period, in relation to a notice, is a reference to the period specified in the notice for compliance with it or such extended period as the local planning authority who served the notice may allow for compliance.

217Appeal to magistrates' court against s. 215 notice

(1)A person on whom a notice under section 215 is served, or any other person having an interest in the land to which the notice relates, may, at any time within the period specified in the notice as the period at the end of which it is to take effect, appeal against the notice on any of the following grounds—

(a)that the condition of the land to which the notice relates does not adversely affect the amenity of any part of the area of the local planning authority who served the notice, or of any adjoining area;

(b)that the condition of the land to which the notice relates is attributable to, and such as results in the ordinary course of events from, the carrying on of operations or a use of land which is not in contravention of Part III;

(c)that the requirements of the notice exceed what is necessary for preventing the condition of the land from adversely affecting the amenity of any part of the area of the local planning authority who served the notice, or of any adjoining area;

(d)that the period specified in the notice as the period within which any steps required by the notice are to be taken falls short of what should reasonably be allowed.

(2)Any appeal under this section shall be made to a magistrates' court acting for the petty sessions area in which the land in question is situated.

(3)Where such an appeal is brought, the notice to which it relates shall be of no effect pending the final determination or withdrawal of the appeal.

(4)On such an appeal the magistrates' court may correct any informality, defect or error in the notice if satisfied that the informality, defect or error is not material.

(5)On the determination of such an appeal the magistrates' court shall give directions for giving effect to their determination, including, where appropriate, directions for quashing the notice or for varying the terms of the notice in favour of the appellant.

(6)Where any person has appealed to a magistrates' court under this section against a notice, neither that person nor any other shall be entitled, in any other proceedings instituted after the making of the appeal, to claim that the notice was not duly served on the person who appealed.

218Further appeal to the Crown Court

Where an appeal has been brought under section 217, an appeal against the decision of the magistrates' court on that appeal may be brought to the Crown Court by the appellant or by the local planning authority who served the notice in question under section 215.

219Execution and cost of works required by s. 215 notice

(1)If, within the period specified in a notice under section 215 in accordance with subsection (2) of that section, or within such extended period as the local planning authority who served the notice may allow, any steps required by the notice to be taken have not been taken, the local planning authority who served the notice may—

(a)enter the land and take those steps, and

(b)recover from the person who is then the owner of the land any expenses reasonably incurred by them in doing so.

(2)Where a notice has been served under section 215—

(a)any expenses incurred by the owner or occupier of any land for the purpose of complying with the notice, and

(b)any sums paid by the owner of any land under subsection (1) in respect of expenses incurred by the local planning authority in taking steps required by such a notice,

shall be deemed to be incurred or paid for the use and at the request of the person who caused or permitted the land to come to be in the condition in which it was when the notice was served.

(3)Regulations made under this Act may provide that—

(a)section 276 of the [1936 c. 49.] Public Health Act 1936 (power of local authorities to sell materials removed in executing works under that Act subject to accounting for the proceeds of sale);

(b)section 289 of that Act (power to require the occupier of any premises to permit works to be executed by the owner of the premises); or

(c)section 294 of that Act (limit on liability of persons holding premises as agents or trustees in respect of the expenses recoverable under that Act),

shall apply, subject to such adaptations and modifications as may be specified in the regulations, in relation to any steps required to be taken by a notice under section 215.

(4)Regulations under subsection (3) applying section 289 of the Public Health Act 1936 may include adaptations and modifications for the purpose of giving the owner of land to which a notice under section 215 relates the right, as against all other persons interested in the land, to comply with the requirements of the enforcement notice.

(5)Regulations under subsection (3) may also provide for the charging on the land of any expenses recoverable by a local authority under subsection (1).

(6)Where by virtue of this section any expenses are recoverable by a local planning authority, those expenses shall be recoverable as a simple contract debt in any court of competent jurisdiction.