A certificate of lawfulness can be sought for either an existing or a proposed use or development. They are an important, but often overlooked, tool for landowners seeking either to establish immunity from enforcement action or to secure confirmation that what they are proposing to do with the land is lawful.

An application can be made to the local planning authority where you wish to ascertain whether any of the following are lawful:

• Any existing or proposed use of buildings or other land;
• Any existing or proposed operations (i.e. building works);
• A failure to comply with any condition or limitation attached to a planning permission

We can review your circumstances and advise whether a certificate application would be appropriate. In addition, as the onus of proving the lawfulness of the matter being claimed rests squarely with the applicant, we can advise how evidence can best be presented to maximise the prospects of success.

Please call us on 01252 617119 to find out how we can assist you.