A rogue car workshop is paying the price for ignoring planning enforcement notices after the courts forced them to pay out over £16,000 in fines and costs.
Premier Panels, Juliet Way, Aveley, started a car repair and tyre fitting business on their site without getting the proper planning permission. They also built a fence without getting planning consent.
After they ignored Enforcement Notices telling them to stop using the site for repairs and tyre changing and ordering them to remove the fence the council was forced to take court action.
At the court hearing, at Basildon Magistrates on Thursday, 29 October, Premier Panel pleaded guilty to two planning enforcement offences.
The court imposed a fine of £15,000, reduced to £10,000 to reflect the company's early guilty plea. In addition, the court ordered the company to pay a £4,000 victim surcharge and £2,192 in costs, bringing the total amount payable to £16,192.
Cllr Tom Kelly, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: "Planning rules are in place to protect our communities, our environment and make sure that our neighbourhoods stay as safe and pleasant places to live and work.
“This successful prosecution shows how seriously we take planning matters and should serve as a warning to anyone who thinks they can simply ignore planning enforcement notices.”
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