A Hailsham man who allowed scrap metal and other waste to be dumped on his property for a decade has been ordered to pay almost £8,000.
John Mallows, 74, was found guilty of breaching an enforcement notice in his absence by Hastings Magistrates Court on Thursday, December 19.
This is the third time Mr Mallows, of 187 London Road, has been prosecuted by East Sussex County Council for failing to comply with a planning enforcement notice issued in 2014 prohibiting him from using the property to store scrap.
He was previously fined £1,000 by the courts in 2016 and 2021. A new enforcement notice which said the land was being used by a skip company was issued by East Sussex County Council in December 2023.
Cllr Claire Dowling, the council’s lead member for environment, said: “The actions of Mr Mallows have blighted the residential road and must have caused a significant amount of stress for neighbours over the years.
“The unauthorised storage and disposal of waste can have a harmful effect on the environment and a negative impact on communities and it’s important that the council takes every possible step to address these issues when they arise.
“We always try and work with residents to address issues, and legal action is only taken when all other efforts fail. I hope that this latest prosecution brings an end to the use of Mr Mallows’ property to store scrap and other waste.”
Hastings Magistrates Court ordered that Mr Mallows pay a £5,000 fine, a £2,000 victim surcharge and £827.63 costs. The money must be paid within 28 days.
Mr Mallows must also still comply with the planning Enforcement Notice and remove the waste from his property, or face further action.
