Learn what to do if you suspect unauthorised development with this expert guide. If you are concerned about an unauthorised development on your neighbour’s land, your first step should be to contact the relevant planning authority. However, there are exemptions from the need for planning permission for changes of use, and your neighbours may argue that this is the case if they are converting a structure into a residential dwelling. Therefore, it is up to them to persuade the local authority of the merits of their case. If there is any doubt about whether a development is exempted, you can apply to the council for a ruling on that.
The process can take time, but the regulator says that when an enforcement notice is issued, the council “should also inform the complainant of the effect of the notice, the right to appeal it to An Bord Pleanála and the time limits for such appeals.” If the couple ignores the council’s demand, the council is obliged to escalate it.
