What is the principal instrument used by the local planning authority when a development is carried out without planning permission?

• A. Notice to Quit
• B. Enforcement Notice
• C. Certificate of Lawful Use
• D. Building Notice

Answer: (B)

When a development is carried out without planning permission, the local planning authority uses an Enforcement Notice as the principal instrument. This formal notice identifies the breach of planning control, requires specific remedial steps (such as stopping the use, demolishing, or altering the development), and sets a deadline for compliance. It must clearly specify the breach, the remedy, and the time for compliance (minimum 28 days, though longer can be allowed). The notice can be appealed to the Planning Inspectorate within the allotted period, and non-compliance can lead to penalties and possible injunctions. Of the other options, a Notice to Quit relates to eviction in tenancy matters, a Certificate of Lawful Use is about proving that a use or building works are already lawful, and a Building Notice concerns building regulations rather than planning control.