Residents of Black Country property ordered to pay more than £6,000 for illegal garden extension
Owners of a Black Country property have been ordered to pay a fine of over £6,000 for failing to comply with an enforcement notice.
Mr and Mrs Hill, of Pineways, Wordsley, appeared at Cannock Magistrates Court and were ordered to pay a total of £6,515 in fines and costs after illegally removing protected trees in order to extend their garden.
The Hills purchased the plot of woodland next to their property in January 2015. The plot of land formed part of an extensive strip of green belt, which was protected by a Tree Prevention Order and formed an important buffer strip between Dudley and South Staffordshire.
The Hills were served with a planning enforcement notice on March 29, 2022, which ordered the removal of walls, pillars, steps, a patio area and wooden planters from the land.
They failed to comply with the requirements of the notice, which resulted in the case being put before Cannock Magistrates Court on Monday, March 11.
