The owner of a building in Trinity Square, Margate, has been ordered to pay a total of £3,740 after being taken to court for painting their property an “unauthorised” colour and then failing to comply with an enforcement notice.
The owner pleaded guilty to non-compliance with a Listed Building enforcement notice when the case was heard at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on April 19.
In 2017, the outside of a property on Trinity Square was painted an “unauthorised” dark blue colour which council planning officers deemed as harmful and unsympathetic to the surrounding Listed Buildings within Trinity Square.
An enforcement notice was served in February 2020 and the owner then submitted an application for Listed Building consent, which the council granted. This allowed the owner to paint the building a different colour, despite an enforcement notice having been served, subject to stipulation that an approved colour was chosen.
But the owner did not carry out the work by the June 2020 deadline and the case was referred to the council’s legal department who pursued prosecution for non-compliance of the Listed Building enforcement notice.
The owner occupier pleaded guilty at the Magistrates’ Court and was ordered to pay a total of £3740. A fine of £2000, plus a surcharge of £180 and costs in the sum of £1560.
Bob Porter, Director of Housing and Planning, said: “The council has a duty to protect Listed Buildings across Thanet and will seek to take action against anyone who carries out unauthorised work.
“ In this particular case, a clear breach of the regulations had occurred and the owner did not take remedial action despite our teams trying to negotiate a solution with them.
“Listed buildings are an important part of our heritage, so it is extremely important that residents are aware that the council will take action, even if it takes many years, in order to protect it. We’re pleased to see that the Listed Building enforcement notice has now been complied with.”
