UK Act of Parliament 1990 United Kingdom

Town and Country Planning Act 1990, Part VIII (Sections 197-214)

At a glance

What's here

73 compliance obligations, 28 practical guides across 5 topics · 14 journeys

Penalty landscape

17 of 73 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 10 carry different penalties and 46 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Any Person 25
  • Occupier 2
  • Landlord 2
  • Applicant 2
  • Director or Officer 1

Plus 41 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Mentioned in related content

1 guides

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Occupiers also bound by 101 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Landlords also bound by 70 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Applicants also bound by 146 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Directors and Officers also bound by 224 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Part I — Planning Authorities

s.002

Representation hearings

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Mayor of London must hold representation hearings for major planning applications Local authority
Browse 17 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.002

The Mayor of London: applications of potential strategic importance

s.002

Section 2A: supplementary provisions

s.002

Matters reserved for subsequent approval

s.002

Further provision about orders under section 2A

s.002

Section 2A and planning obligations under section 106

s.004

National Parks with National Park authorities.

s.007

Mayoral development areas

s.008

The Homes and Communities Agency.

Part II

s.033

Public participation.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local planning authorities must consult the public on structure plan changes Local authority
s.035

Examination in public.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local planning authorities must hold a public examination of structure plans Local authority
s.036

Local plans.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local planning authorities must prepare local development plans Local authority
s.040

Public participation.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local Planning Authority must consult the public on local plans Local authority
s.050

Joint structure and local plans.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local authorities must cooperate and provide plans for public inspection Local authority
s.054

Status of development plans.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local authorities must decide planning applications based on the development plan Local authority
Browse 45 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.010

Application of Chapter I in relation to Wales.

s.012

Urban development corporations.

s.021

“Greater London: conformity with spatial development strategy.

s.023

Unitary development plans for National Parks in Wales.

s.023

Joint unitary development plans for National Parks in Wales.

s.027

Meaning of “development plan” in relation to Wales.

s.028

Application of Chapter I in relation to Wales: transitional provisions.

s.035

Calling in of proposals for approval by Secretary of State.

s.035

Duties to notify authorities responsible for local plans

s.051

Urban development corporations.

Part III — Control over development

s.061

Intervention by Secretary of State or National Assembly

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State or Welsh Ministers may intervene in local development orders Crown / Minister / Government department
s.061

Guidance

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local planning authorities must follow government guidance on neighbourhood orders Local authority
s.062

Notifying parish councils of applications under section 62A(1)

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must notify parish councils of planning applications Crown / Minister / Government department
s.062

Notification of proposed application under section 62D

  • Notify Welsh Ministers before applying for Developments of National Significance Any Person
s.062

Requirement to submit local impact report

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Welsh Ministers must notify local authorities to submit impact reports Crown / Minister / Government department
s.062

Notifying community councils of applications made to Welsh Ministers

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Welsh Ministers must notify community councils of major planning applications Crown / Minister / Government department
s.062

Wales: notice that application is not valid

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local planning authority must notify applicant if application is invalid Local authority
s.062

Appeals under section 62ZB: determination by Welsh Ministers in place of appointed person

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Welsh Ministers may take over an appeal from an appointed person Crown / Minister / Government department
s.070

Power to decline to determine applications in cases of earlier non-implementation etc

Unlimited fine
  • Make false or misleading statement to planning authority Any Person
s.075

Information about neighbourhood development plans

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Planning reports must detail how neighbourhood plans were considered Local authority
s.090

Condition relating to development progress reports in England

  • Submit annual development progress reports for residential projects Any Person
s.093

Commencement notices

Fine up to £1,000
  • Fail to give information after a commencement notice Any Person
s.096

Power to make non-material changes to planning permission or permission in principle

  • Apply for non-material changes to existing planning permission Any Person
s.106

Modification and discharge of planning obligations.

Amended 21 times
s.106

Appeals in relation to applications under section 106A.

Amended 21 times
s.106

Modification or discharge of affordable housing requirements

Amended 21 times
s.106

Appeals in relation to applications under section 106BA

Amended 21 times
s.106

Legal challenges relating to development consent obligations

Amended 21 times
Browse 108 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.058

Permission in principle: general

s.059

Development orders: permission in principle

s.061

Local development orders

s.061

Permission granted by local development order

s.061

Effect of revision or revocation of development order on incomplete development

s.061

Mayoral development orders

s.061

Permission granted by Mayoral development order

s.061

Preparation and making of Mayoral development order

s.061

Revision or revocation of Mayoral development order

s.061

Effect of revision or revocation on incomplete development

s.061

Neighbourhood development orders

s.061

Meaning of “neighbourhood area”

s.061

Neighbourhood areas in areas of two or more local planning authorities

s.061

Provision that may be made by neighbourhood development order

s.061

Meaning of “excluded development”

s.061

Permission granted by neighbourhood development orders

s.061

Revocation or modification of neighbourhood development orders

s.061

Legal challenges in relation to neighbourhood development orders

s.061

Provision as to the making of certain decisions by local planning authorities

s.061

Community right to build orders

s.061

Street vote development orders

s.061

Qualifying groups

s.061

Meaning of “street area”

s.061

Process for making street vote development orders

s.061

Referendums

s.061

Provision that may be made by a street vote development order

s.061

Meaning of “excluded development”

s.061

Permission granted by street vote development orders

s.061

Revocation or modification of street vote development orders

s.061

Financial assistance in relation to street votes

s.061

Street votes: connected modifications

s.061

Interpretation

s.061

England: requirement to carry out pre-application consultation

s.061

Pre-application services: records and statement of services

s.062

When application may be made directly to Secretary of State

s.062

Designation for the purposes of section 62A

s.062

Developments of national significance: applications to be made to Welsh Ministers

s.062

Developments of national significance: secondary consents

s.062

Developments of national significance: supplementary provision about secondary consents

s.062

Developments of national significance: meaning of secondary consent

s.062

Duty to have regard to local impact report

s.062

Timetable for determining applications

s.062

Option to make application directly to Welsh Ministers

s.062

Designation for the purposes of section 62M

s.062

Option to make application to Welsh Ministers: connected applications

s.062

Applications to the Welsh Ministers: supplementary

s.062

Power to make provision by development order in respect of applications to Welsh Ministers

s.062

Exercise of functions by appointed person

s.062

Right to appeal to Welsh Ministers against notice

s.070

Power of local planning authority to decline to determine applications. Power to decline to determine subsequent application.

s.070

Power to decline to determine overlapping application

s.070

Power to decline to determine retrospective application

s.071

Assessment of environmental effects.

s.071

Decision notices: Wales

s.071

Notification of initiation of development and display of notice: Wales

s.073

Planning permission for development already carried out.

s.074

Deemed discharge of planning conditions

s.074

Conditions relating to construction working hours

s.074

Effect of application under section 74B

s.074

Sections 74B and 74C: supplementary

s.076

Major infrastructure projects

s.076

Major infrastructure projects: inspectors

s.076

Provisions applying to applications made under section 62A

s.076

Deciding applications made under section 62A

s.076

Applications under section 62A: determination by Secretary of State

s.078

Appeal made: functions of local planning authorities

s.093

Extension of certain planning permissions: additional environmental approval

s.093

Interpretation of sections 93A and 93B

s.093

Outline planning permission: automatic extension of time limits for application for approval

s.093

Outline planning permission: automatic extension of certain time limits for beginning development

s.093

Outline planning permission: extension of limits for beginning development with additional environmental approval

s.093

Completion notices

s.093

Appeals against completion notices

s.093

Effect of completion notices

s.100

Wales: consultation etc in respect of certain applications relating to planning permission

s.100

Restrictions on power to impose planning conditions in England

Part VI — Rights of owners etc. to require purchase of interests

s.137

Purchase notices: Crown land

Unlimited fine Amended 7 times
  • Offer to sell your interest to the Crown before serving a purchase notice Any Person
Browse 13 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part VII — Enforcement

s.171

Time limits.

Amended 2 times
s.171

Time limits in cases involving concealment

Amended 2 times
s.171

Planning enforcement orders: procedure

Amended 2 times
s.171

Making a planning enforcement order

Amended 2 times
s.171

Power to require information about activities on land.

Amended 2 times
s.171

Penalties for non-compliance with planning contravention notice.

Unlimited fine Amended 2 times
  • Fail to comply with a planning contravention notice Any Person
s.171

Temporary stop notice

Amended 2 times
s.171

Temporary stop notice: restrictions

Amended 2 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local planning authorities must follow restrictions on stop notices Local authority
s.171

Temporary stop notice: offences

Unlimited fine Amended 2 times
  • Fail to comply with a temporary stop notice Any Person
s.171

Temporary stop notice: compensation

Amended 2 times
s.172

Assurance as regards prosecution for person served with notice

Amended 2 times
s.173

Contents and effect of notice.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local Planning Authority must issue detailed enforcement notices Local authority
s.187

Enforcement of conditions.

Unlimited fine Amended 2 times
  • Fail to comply with planning condition notice Any Person
s.187

Injunctions restraining breaches of planning control.

Amended 2 times
s.196

Right to enter under warrant.

Amended 6 times
s.196

Rights of entry: supplementary provisions.

Fine up to £1,000 Amended 6 times
  • Obstruct authorised entry onto land Any Person
s.196

Power to provide relief from enforcement of planning conditions

Amended 6 times
Browse 7 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part VIII — Special Controls

s.202

Tree preservation regulations: general

Amended 2 times
s.202

Tree preservation regulations: making of tree preservation orders

Amended 2 times
s.202

Tree preservation regulations: prohibited activities

Amended 2 times
s.202

Tree preservation regulations: consent for prohibited activities

Amended 2 times
s.202

Tree preservation regulations: registers

Amended 2 times
s.202

Tree preservation regulations: supplementary

Amended 2 times
s.214

Registers of s. 211 notices.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local planning authorities must maintain a register of tree notices Local authority
s.214

Rights of entry: supplementary provisions.

Fine up to £1,000
  • Willfully obstruct a planning authority’s right of entry Any Person
s.225

Remedying persistent problems with unauthorised advertisements

Unlimited fine Amended 8 times
  • Comply with action notices regarding persistent unauthorised advertisements Occupier
s.225

Right to appeal against notice under section 225C

Amended 8 times
s.225

Applying section 225C to statutory undertakers' operational land

Amended 8 times
s.225

Power to remedy defacement of premises

Amended 8 times
s.225

Notices under section 225F in respect of post boxes

Amended 8 times
s.225

Section 225F powers as respects bus shelters and other street furniture

Amended 8 times
s.225

Right to appeal against notice under section 225F

Amended 8 times
s.225

Remedying defacement at owner or occupier's request

Amended 8 times
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part IX — Acquisition and Appropriation of Land for Planning Purposes, etc.

s.244

Powers of National Park authorities under Part IX.

Amended 1 time
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part XI — Statutory Undertakers

Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part XIII — Application of Act to Crown Land

s.293

Urgent Crown development: applications to the Secretary of State

Amended 16 times
s.293

Urgent Crown development: determination of applications by the Secretary of State

Amended 16 times
s.293

Crown development: applications to the Secretary of State

Amended 16 times
s.293

Applications under section 293D or 293E : supplementary matters

Amended 16 times
s.293

Notifying parish councils of applications under section 293D (2)

Amended 16 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must notify parish councils of Crown development applications Crown / Minister / Government department
s.293

Provisions applying to applications made under section 293D or 293E

Amended 16 times
s.293

Deciding applications made under section 293D or 293E

Amended 16 times
s.293

Applications under section 293D or 293E : determination by the Secretary of State

Amended 16 times
s.296

Enforcement in relation to the Crown

Amended 3 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local authorities must obtain Crown consent before enforcing on Crown land Local authority
s.296

References to an interest in land

Amended 3 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Establish the correct authority for Crown or Duchy land interests Crown / Minister / Government department
s.298

Applications for planning permission etc by Crown

Amended 3 times
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part XIV — Financial Provisions

s.303

Responsibility of local planning authorities for costs of holding certain inquiries etc.

Amended 27 times
s.303

Fees for appeals

Amended 27 times
s.304

Grants for advice and assistance

Amended 1 time
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part XV — Miscellaneous and General Provisions

s.314

Wales: duties relating to listed buildings and features of architectural or historic interest

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Authorities must prioritize preserving listed buildings in Wales Local authority
s.316

Local planning authorities as statutory undertakers.

Amended 8 times
s.321

Appointed representative: no inquiry

Amended 1 time
s.321

Special provision in relation to planning inquiries: Wales

Amended 1 time
s.322

Orders as to costs: supplementary.

Amended 7 times
s.322

Local inquiries in London: special provision as to costs in certain cases.

Amended 7 times
s.322

Costs: Wales

Amended 7 times
s.323

Procedure for certain proceedings: Wales

Amended 12 times
s.325

Rights of entry: Crown land

Amended 2 times
s.327

Applications: compliance with requirements

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local planning authorities must reject invalid or incomplete applications Local authority
s.329

Service of notices on the Crown

Amended 13 times
Browse 9 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.319

Determination of procedure for certain proceedings: England

s.319

Determination of procedure for certain proceedings: Wales

s.319

Requirement for functions to be discharged by committee, sub-committee or officer

s.319

Sections 319ZA and 319ZB: supplementary

s.327

Planning applications in England: powers as to form and content

Schedules

s.015

Preliminary

Fine up to £200
  • Willfully obstruct planning enforcement officer Any Person
s.sch001a

Distribution of Local Planning Authority Functions: Wales

  • Identify Enforcing Council for Planning Obligations in Wales Any Person
Browse 17 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch004a

Local development orders: procedure

s.sch004b

Process for making of neighbourhood development orders

s.sch004c

Community right to build orders

s.sch004d

EXERCISE OF FUNCTIONS BY APPOINTED PERSON IN CONNECTION WITH DEVELOPMENTS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE AND APPLICATIONS MADE TO THE WELSH MINISTERS

s.sch007a

Biodiversity gain in England

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

Local Authority

Primary

Local Authority (Environmental Health / Licensing / Planning)

Local councils enforce food safety (via Environmental Health Officers), issue alcohol licences, grant planning permission, and regulate certain business activities at local …

The Planning Inspectorate

Examines applications for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) under the Planning Act 2008, including large offshore wind farms, power stations, and transmission …

Government department responsible for protecting, expanding, and promoting the sustainable management of woodlands in England. Issues felling licences, administers woodland creation grants, …

Mining Remediation Authority (formerly Coal Authority)

Manages effects of historical coal mining in England, Scotland, and Wales. Handles subsidence damage claims, mine water pollution, and other mining legacy …

Welsh Government's historic environment service. Protects, conserves, and promotes historic buildings, ancient monuments, and historic landscapes in Wales.

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