Are You on Top of Planning Compliance? If Not Breaches are About to Get a Lot More Expensive

摘要

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 ("LASPO") s.85 came into force on March 12, 2015 increasing the maximum level of fine available to Magistrates' Courts to an unlimited fine (currently £20,000 for most health and safety offences). Under s. 152(1) these changes apply to England and Wales but not to Northern Ireland or Scotland. The increase has no retrospective effect so will only apply in respect of offences committed after March 12,2015. LASPO does give the Secretary of State the power to set new caps by way of secondary legislation although we have yet to see such a move in relation to planning and listed building offences.