what's the betting they only get fined a few grand *LINK*

[Anonymous]

Another illegally demolished Listed Building; reports in the Telegraph and Building Design suggest "I didn't know it was listed" is being used as an excuse by the bulldozer driver (who's also a member of the adjoining parish council).

Horrid photos in the council's report.


Oak House Apperley - b*st*rds

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, I saw it in the presss - but the pictures bring home the full horror.

As you say - they'll get a derisory fine.

If it was Tynedale they would get away scot-free as the Chief Planning Officer would tell the Enforcement Committee that prosecution would not be in the public interest, as she did with Jackson's Ironmonger's shop in Haltwhistle.

At least the owner of Greenside can't build on the site... some justice somewhere in the world, although the building is lost.

The casework reports are on the 20th c Soc site - but the press relaese link with the latest seems not to be working.



http://www.c20society.org.uk

 

[Anonymous]

thats an absolute bl**dy sin!

 

[Anonymous]

They should confiscate it like they can do with drug dealers ill gotten gains and give it to somebody like Spab, to do up, if possible and sell. Proceeds would then go to help look after other such properties.

 

[Anonymous]

There are powers which exist - including those of of compulsory purchase - but very, very rarely are they used!

In fact many local authorities are not keem to even issue repairs notices.

 

[Anonymous]

But WHY are they so rarely used?!
Actually I agree with Graham - the one deterrent that would REALLY work would be to confiscate the entire property so that the owner is unable to "benefit" from the demolition.
Pour encourager les autres - if powers like that existed and were used, people might think twice before undertaking acts of such barbarism.

 

[Anonymous]

I thought that that there was a max. of £20,0000.00 fine for demolishing listed buildings, and in extreme cases a jail sentence or both.

The fine may be peanuts for some, surely if the law is upheld by the authorities, the jail bit should be enough to scare anybody.

Authorities think the threat is enough, as most of them do not want legal tangles associated with all the costs involved ( I suppose)

 

[Anonymous]

The powers are rarely used as in too many cases when action has been taken the magistrate/judge has treated it all as though it was unimportant and derisory fines have ensued, if indeed the law has been upheld (see my post about Grand Designs and Easington Colliery School).

This means that local authoities are made to look foolish, and developers can simply demolish, pay the fine, and have a valuable site on which to build.

Except it didn't happen that way at Greenside! But that was because of other circumstances.

There was a Scottish castle a couple of years ago which the owner demolished and the fine was I seem to recall a couple of grand.

Much cheaper than repair!

In addition, some authorities have no CO, and some haven't really much idea about all the legal steps they can take.

SAVE held a conference on the subject last year, and hopes to hold another in Bristol in May. Case studies and legal advice all help inform - but a judicial systen which treats this matter seriously would help.

It was raised at the DCMS Commons Select committee by Adam of SAVE...