A LANDOWNER has been given a three-month suspended prison sentence and £5,000 fine for continuing to breach high court injunctions dating back to September 2021.

Braintree Council was alerted to unlawful works taking place on land along Sudbury Road in Castle Hedingham in August 2021.

The council was forced to obtain a High Court injunction to prevent further work from taking place, in September and October 2021.

The work, which was carried out without planning consent, included the construction of a 2.5-metre high fence which closed off the area of land from view, and the installation of water and electricity supplies.

An injunction was obtained to prevent any further works, while reversing some of the work which had already taken place.

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After carrying out checks at the site, planning enforcement officers discovered the landowner had continued with the work, including several lorry loads of aggregate and topsoil being delivered and spread across the site with a digger.

As a result, the council launched prosecution proceedings at London’s High Court.

At a hearing on Tuesday (March 29), Mr Wilson pleaded guilty for failing to comply with the injunction and was sentenced to three months in prison, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay a £5,000 fine along with the council’s costs.

A further order was given requiring the landowner to carry out a contamination survey on imported aggregate and topsoil at the site.

Council planning boss Gabrielle Spray said: “I am very pleased to see the court issue a large fine and prison sentence in this long-running case.

“This case is an important reminder to others who may be tempted to cut planning corners that we will not tolerate flagrant breaches of the planning laws and will continue to take robust action to protect land in our district from unauthorised development.”

More than £200,000 is set to be invested into additional staffing for planning enforcement, to strengthen the service and increase resource following feedback from residents, members and parish councils.

Residents who suspect there may be a planning breach in the district can report it to Braintree Council at braintree.gov.uk/planningenforcement.