Residents and businesses asked for views on new Planning Enforcement Plan
Posted on: 8 June 2026
People living and working in Tewkesbury Borough are being asked for their feedback on a new enforcement plan for how the council deals with building work that breaches planning rules.
The updated draft Planning Enforcement Plan 2026 aims to make the rules easier to understand and explains how the council decides which issues need to be looked at first.
A four week public consultation will take place from Monday, 8 June to Monday 6 July. Anyone can read the plan and share their feedback.
Councillor Sarah Hands, Lead Member for Planning and Placemaking, said: “We want everyone to clearly understand how planning rules are enforced and what happens when someone reports a problem. This new plan aims to make the process clearer and easier to follow.
“We hope residents, parish councils and other local groups will share their views so we can make the final plan as helpful as possible.”
The proposed planning enforcement plan includes:
• A change from four to three clear levels of priority:
– Category A: serious problems that could cause big or lasting damage, such as works on protected buildings or trees
– Category B: problems that may need fixing or a new planning application
– Category C: small issues that don’t cause much harm
• A new target, of which the council aims to progress a ‘next step’ for most cases within 30 working days
• A revised timeline for reporting including six months reviews to keep councillors and the public informed
• Simple, clearer guidance that explains what a planning breach is, how to report one, and what happens next
• An intention to use modern tools like drone photos to help investigate cases when appropriate.
Following the closure of the consultation, the council will consider responses and take a report to Executive Committee on 2 September 2026 with any changes for adoption.
