Planning and Building Control enforcement

Helping ensure Solihull develops in a way which is beneficial to all of us, we investigate all alleged planning and building breaches.

Noise complaints about HS2

If you wish to make a complaint about construction works for the HS2 project, you can complain directly to HS2 about:

  • builders
  • contractors
  • any other workers

Make a noise complaint about HS2

Solihull Council is not the enforcing body for the works to build the railway and any queries or complaints about noise should be raised directly with HS2.

HS2 explain how they manage construction noise and vibration.

To get in touch with HS2:

If you contact us about HS2 we may share your data in accordance with our privacy notice.

Helping ensure Solihull develops in a way which is beneficial to all of us, we investigate all alleged planning and building breaches. We also randomly monitor approved developments; ensuring buildings are constructed safely and in line with permissions.

You can search for enforcement notices using our online planning portal.

Complain about a development

If you suspect a building has been put up without permission, or other work started where there has been a planning breach, please contact us at planningenforcement@solihull.gov.uk.

When making a complaint it is important to understand that:

  • all complaints are treated in confidence
  • complaints should not be made anonymously
  • anonymous complaints will not be prioritised
  • complaints must be confirmed in writing
  • If you are submitting your complaint by email, please provide your name and postal address. Failure to do so may mean your complaint will be regarded as anonymous, and therefore receive a lower priority. All complaints are treated in strictest confidence.
  • all complaints will be acknowledged within 1 to 3 working days
  • updates will be sent to all complainants

Working without Planning Permission

Planning Permission must be sought before work starts. Not doing so will result in us taking the most appropriate action for Solihull in line with our Local Enforcement Plan. This could result in an expensive outcome, such as:

  • Enforcement Notices being issued
  • Stop Notices being issued
  • court action
  • buildings being demolished

The Enforcement Register

The relevant legislation requires the local planning authority to maintain a register of all the enforcement and stop notices that it has issued.

Up to and including 20 January 2016, that register comprised a book and accompanying index. For notices issued from 21 January 2016 onwards, the register takes the form of an spreadsheet, which is kept up-to-date in chronological order, with a separate tab for each letter of the alphabet so that an entry can be searched for by road name. This removes the need for any separate index.

You can view the register of enforcement notices served after 21 January 2016. 

View the Planning Enforcement Register

Individual notices can be viewed on request to the enforcement team.

A scanned copy of the old paper register (covering March 1982 to 20 January 2016) and accompanying index is also available.

For older records, pre-1982, please contact the Council’s planning enforcement team for assistance.

Working without Building Regulations approval

Building Regulations approval should be obtained before work starts. Not having it could also impact on future sales of the property.

A criminal offence, unauthorised work will result in action being taken.

To ensure the safety of the building for everyone, buildings built without consent will be thoroughly assessed for compliance. This process could include:

  • floorboards being lifted
  • plasterwork being removed
  • holes being dug down to foundation level
  • walls and ceilings being removed

At the end of the investigation, every reasonable request must be complied with

In some cases, it may be possible to apply for permission after works have been started or completed. For older developments, a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) may be applied for.

In order to get consent, you can:

apply online for a Lawful Development Certificate

apply online for retrospective Planning Permission

download a Building Regularisation form