News: Site Operator Breaches Planning Law
A site operator has been fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of more than £11,000 after being found guilty of deliberately breaching planning law and two planning enforcement notices.
The Vale of White Horse District Council prosecuted the owners of Bayworth Mobile Home Park near Abingdon, Wyldecrest Parks (Management) Limited, after they failed to comply with enforcement notices to remove a mobile home and associated concrete base, brick skirt and steps from land which should only have been used as a car park.
The court heard that the company’s actions had been a deliberate breach of planning law, causing harm to the green belt. They had failed to respond to letters from the council or warnings regarding prosecution; they profited from site fees from this unlawful mobile home and wrongly put the blame on others for the situation.
Commenting on the outcome, Suzanne Malcolm, Acting Deputy Chief Executive – Place at the Vale of White Horse District Council, said ‘It is very important that site owners comply with planning permission and only locate mobile homes on land where they have been granted permission. Carrying out unlawful work like this can risk damage to the area and put occupiers at significant risk of losing their homes.
“This is clearly an exceptional case, but it emphasises the importance of doing your research when purchasing a mobile home. We strongly recommend using a specialist park home solicitor when buying a new or pre-owned park home,” commented Paul Baker, Managing Director of Paul Baker Insurance Services (PBIS).
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