Time to close the planning loophole

MANY people have suffered at the hands of cowboy developers who build without planning permission and, when confronted by local authorities, seek retention.

Far too often we find the sequence of building, retention and permission being followed rather than the sequence of permission and building.

Because of that many people lose faith in the planning system. When the citizen who observes the rules and obtains permission or refusal sees someone else not observing the rules, a view develops that sinning has its own reward as far as planning is concerned.