Developer must pay £6,700 over green belt ‘road to nowhere’

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Developer Lawnswood Homes must pay £6,700 in fines and costs after the company built a road, rather than the drive approved by South Staffordshire Council, on green belt land in Lower Penn. 

As well as a fine of £2,500, the developer must pay £3,224 for prosecution and investigation costs and a victim surcharge of £1,000. 

Councillor Victoria Wilson said the result shows that the council “will not tolerate unlawful development or breaches of planning control”. A statement from the council described the breach as a “road to nowhere” on green belt land. 

In January 2022, South Staffordshire issued Lawnswood Homes with a Breach of Condition Notice after finding that the developer had built a road rather than the driveway specified in the permission granted for a four bedroom house. 

Lawnswood failed to restore the driveway to comply with this notice, leading the council to begin legal proceedings. 

Lawnswood Homes did not appear at the hearing, held at Newcastle-under-Lyme Magistrates Court on Monday 2 October, where it was ordered to pay the fine and costs. 

“The protection of the district’s treasured green belt is of great importance and we will not hesitate to bring legal action against those who seek to flout planning regulations” continued Wilson. 

“South Staffordshire Council will continue to ensure compliance with this notice and take any action necessary to ensure the unlawful ‘road to nowhere’ has been removed.” 

4 October 2023 
Ben Gosling, The Planner