More key measures of England’s Localism Act 2011 have come into force from 6 April.
These include new planning enforcement rules which give councils the ability to take action against people who deliberately conceal unauthorised development.
The measure should also help to tackle the abuses of retrospective planning applications which have in the past been used to spin out planning appeals.
Other provisions now in effect include the so-called Community Right to Build and the new general power of competency.
The former gives communities a new way to deliver development they want. Under this measure communities will be able to build family homes to sell, affordable housing for rent, sheltered housing for older local residents, or low-cost starter homes.
In respect of the latter, all English local authorities, including eligible parish councils, can innovate and legally do anything an individual could do unless specifically prohibited by law.
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