There is a lack of dedicated planning enforcement officers in the area resulting in some enforcement action being missed, it has emerged.
The issue was revealed at Powys County Council planning committee meeting when councillors asked why a breach of planning restrictions had not been punished or known about.
The discussion on enforcement came up as part of deciding a planning application to turn an outbuilding into an engineering workshop at New Mills, near Newtown.
An agricultural occupancy condition had been placed on the building which meant that the owners should have a connection to farming such as: working in agriculture, being a retired agricultural worker or the widow/widower of an agricultural worker.
The owners had obtained a certificate of lawfulness in 2018 as they had lived there for more than 10 years without the necessary connection to farming.
Cllr Francesca Jump asked: “How could the owners not have been complying with these conditions for 10 years? Presumably, they would have bought it at a cheaper price because of the condition. Should we not make sure that these conditions are fulfilled?
“Would we know that people have bought a property and don’t fulfil this condition?”
Planning officer, Tamsin Law, said: “A certificate of lawfulness means that they are immune from enforcement action for the breach."
By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter, Local Democracy Reporting Service
