Criminalise unauthorised development & ban retrospective permission

6,917
signatures
openMinistry of Housing, Communities & Local Governmentby KAREN HARMANOpened 30 June 2026

Background

We call on the UK Government to amend the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 making it a criminal offence to develop any large-scale space without first securing the correct planning permission.

Additional details

We are calling on the UK Government to reform planning and enforcement laws, to stop anyone from placing in any green space hard standing or fencing, and from residing/ living there, without full planning permission already in place. We also want the Government to disallow retrospective permission in these instances thus putting a stop to any lengthy delays before remediation. We want to strengthen powers available to councils and police to deal with unlawful occupation of land where planning permission has not already been granted.

Where it’s popular

Constituencies with the most signatures on this petition.

Source: UK Government & Parliament Petitions service. Petition ID: 771561.