Bloody local councils!

Why blame the Council? They administer a complex set of rules set by central
government. If people choose to ignore the rules and get caught then they
have nobody but themselves to blame! The reason for the planning system is
to provide a framework within development can proceed in a manner that, by
and large, prevents the mess that results when everybody does as they please
without regard for anyone else. Yes it is imperfect and some Councils are
stricter than others, but there are a lot of checks and balances within the
system. I don't doubt you would be among the first to complain if people
could just put up buildings wherever they pleased. You should be lobbying
your MP for change if you want it.