Untidy gardens and neglected buildings

Untidy and poorly maintained gardens and neglected buildings can have a negative impact on neighbourhoods and the street scene. 

The council have legal powers available to control the tidiness / appearance of land and buildings, but this would usually be a last resort after attempting to reach a resolution with the landowner first. Our Environmental Health, Street Management or Anti-Social Behaviour teams are often best placed to tackle such problems, and we work together with these colleagues to agree which department will be best to assist you in each particular case. 

If a resolution still cannot be achieved, we may take action via the planning legislation. We can serve an Untidy Site Notice (also known as a Section 215 notice) on the owner or occupier when the poor condition and appearance of the building or land have a detrimental effect on the surrounding area or neighbourhood.

The Untidy Site Notice requires proper maintenance of the property or land in question, and it specifies what steps need to be taken, by whom and by when.

An appeal may be lodged against the Untidy Site Notice to the Magistrates’ court, but the owner will still have to follow the steps specified in the meantime as non-compliance with the Notice is a criminal offence.