Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011

Penalties for non-compliance with planning contravention notice

134.—(1) If, at any time after the end of the period of 21 days beginning with the day on which a planning contravention notice has been served on any person, that person has not complied with any requirement of the notice, that person shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) An offence under subsection (1) may be charged by reference to any day or longer period of time and a person may be convicted of a second or subsequent offence under that subsection by reference to any period of time following the preceding conviction for such an offence.

(3) It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under subsection (1) to prove that that person had a reasonable excuse for failing to comply with the requirement.

(4) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

(5) If any person—

(a) makes any statement purporting to comply with a requirement of a planning contravention notice which that person knows to be false or misleading in a material particular; or

(b) recklessly makes such a statement which is false or misleading in a material particular,

that person shall be guilty of an offence.

(6) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (5) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.