A certificate of lawfulness is a legal determination by your local planning authority that the building works, or the use of land, that you have either carried out or are proposing to carry out, are or will be, lawful.
When the local planning authority grants a certificate of lawfulness it means that enforcement action cannot be taken against the development described in the certificate.
What is a lawful development certificate?
There are different types of lawful development certificates which your local planning authority can grant. Many businesses apply for certificates of lawfulness when they:
- have carried out development without realising they were breaching a planning condition on their planning permission.
- are carrying out activity on land which is breach of a planning condition
- are not sure whether a building that they are proposing to construct will require planning permission
- have a proposed building or land use that would be lawful for planning purposes.
Our planning team will advise you on the likelihood of success in obtaining a certificate of lawfulness, and what evidence you should submit with your application. If your application is refused, we can guide you through the appeal process, submitting an appeal on your behalf and representing you at any hearing.
Planning law specialists with a commercial focus
Having spent time within planning departments in the public sector, we have a comprehensive knowledge of the planning system and local government administrative law – with the ability to view this from all perspectives.
We work collaboratively with colleagues across the firm, drawing on the expertise from our parks, countryside matters, and company and commercial teams. This enables us to provide specialist, commercially focused advice, tailored to your specific needs.
From planning issues to licensing applications, we ensure there are no barriers to your business activities, helping you to get the details right so that you can proceed with confidence.