If you are concerned that development has taken place without permission, contact your council's planning department. Involving the public Involving the public is an important feature of the planning system and councils must do this by law. Councils must provide opportunities for public involvement when preparing structure and local plans. Different councils will do this in different ways. Your local council will advertise when and how it plans to involve the public.
Councils usually try to settle objections to local plans by negotiating with everyone involved.
If this is not possible, objections will be considered in public at a 'local plan inquiry' before the council decides how it will adopt the plan. Everyone has the right to comment on a proposed development that is likely to affect them. This not only means neighbours and people who are most directly affected by a proposal, but also the wider community. Your council will tell you how to make a comment. You can look at planning applications at council offices.