Bovis Homes fined thousands for not complying with planning conditions at Newport development

The housing developer was granted planning permission to build up to 85 homes off Edgmond Road in 2013, Telford Magistrates Court heard today.

But work and deliveries made to the site were only permitted during certain hours.

Mr Paul Martin, prosecuting, said work began in 2015 but the council received complaints that Bovis Homes was working outside the agreed hours.

The court was told that a planning condition for the site stipulated that work, delivery of materials or collection of equipment could only take place from 7.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday and from 8am to 1pm on Saturday.

No work was permitted on a Sunday or bank holiday.

But Mr Martin said there was an incident in March when residents saw work continuing later into the evening on a weekday.

The following month, residents also saw a lorry making a delivery to the site when it was not permitted to do so.

Mr Martin said the council was forced to taken legal action after giving the firm "plenty of warnings".

He told magistrates that the incident in March happened just days after Bovis Homes had been fined more than £15,000.

The firm was brought to court in March and pleaded guilty to nine counts of breaching a planning notice.

Mr Martin said: "They are a national developer building thousands of homes on hundreds of sites.

"They should be in control of their site and they should be able to control their subcontractors.

"Bovis Homes show a blatant disregard to the impact they have on their victims."

The company pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to comply with a breach of condition notice for the March and April offences.

Mrs Elizabeth Tremayne, representing the firm, said Bovis Homes was regretful for what happened.

She said subcontractors had caused the breaches and Bovis Homes had been unaware until it was informed by the council.

Mrs Tremayne said: "This isn't a case where Bovis has simply turned a blind eye.

"Bovis is clear that it made the permitted hours clear to subcontractors."

She said there had been no breaches of planning conditions since April and the development was now finished, with the exception of some roadworks.

The court heard that Bovis Homes had written to its subcontractors telling them not to work outside of permitted hours.

Magistrates fined Bovis Homes £3,500 and ordered the company to pay £528 costs.