EAST Hampshire District Council’s (EHDC) is seeking to tighten up its control over large scale development with the passing, last week, of a new local planning enforcement plan which should ensure that all major developments are closely monitored.

The plan lays out how the council will deal with breaches of planning control and outlines the powers at its disposal.

EHDC has reported additional resources have been set aside to monitor major developments, in the parts of the district outside the South Downs National Park, to ensure they are built in accordance with their permissions and as expected by the council and the community.

In seeking to reassure those communities who are facing large scale development, Lesley Wells, planning compliance and trees manager, said: “We believe the integrity of the whole planning system depends on the council being prepared to take effective enforcement when necessary.

“The public will lose confidence in the planning system if unauthorised development is allowed to go ahead without the council taking the appropriate action.

“When there is a development that is unacceptable in planning terms the council will not hesitate to take the necessary action to stop this.”