A property developer has been ordered to pay £10,000 for not complying with a planning enforcement notice for a site in Martley.
Siam Property Ltd was issued with the notice in September 2022 for not completing landscaping works that were a condition associated with the 14-house development located next to Martley C of E Primary School.
As part of the planning application, a condition was imposed for landscaping with a requirement to plant trees, a hedgerow and a ground plant mixon a section of land in front of the site.
The Planning Enforcement Department at Malvern Hills District Council gave the company six months to comply with the requirement, which they failed to do.
The landowners were prosecuted and sentenced at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on earlier this year.
Despite complying with the requirements of the enforcement notice over the course of the court proceedings, they were ordered to pay £10,000, which included a fine of £5,000, full council costsamounting to £3,000, and a victim surcharge of £2,000.
The director was also fined £500 and ordered to pay the balance of the costs of £411.55 and a victim surcharge of £200 – amounting to a total fine of £1,111.55. The associated fines had to be paid within a 28-day period.
Cllr David Harrison, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Flooding at Malvern Hills District Council, said: “This case acts as an example of how important it is to comply with all conditions that come with planning permission. By not following through with any requirements, the Local Planning Authority can issue a formal notice which could lead to prosecution if not completed in the given timeframe.”
Cllr Barbara Jones-Williams, Ward Member for Martley, said: “As ward member for the area, it is reassuring to see that breaches of planning conditions are not taken lightly by the council. This is also a reminder that breaches can results in the pocket being hit with a hefty fine.”
