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Business fined for putting up 'eyesore' metal fence with no planning permission

CW Bikes Ltd has been fined for putting up the fence without  planning permission <i>(Image: Arun District Council)</i>
CW Bikes Ltd has been fined for putting up the fence without planning permission (Image: Arun District Council)

A business which put up an “eyesore” two-metre high metal fence has been fined for not seeking planning permission.

The motorbike company erected the fence and gates in 2021 at the entrance to a field in Brooks Lane in Bognor.

As planning permission had not been sought, a planning enforcement notice was served in January 2022.

The notice required either the reduction in height of the gates to one metre or their removal.

Callan Wood, director of CW Bikes Ltd, appeared at Crawley Magistrates on February 14 this year.

The company was fined £1,923 for failing to comply with an enforcement notice and ordered to pay a £796 victim surcharge.

CW Bikes Ltd were also told to pay £800 of legal costs to Arun District Council.

CW Bikes Ltd was prosecuted for not complying with the notice by the required date, although the gates were removed from the area subject to the notice the week before the court hearing.

The Argus: The fencing pictured in June 2022
The Argus: The fencing pictured in June 2022

The fencing pictured in June 2022 (Image: Google Maps)

The company initially denied the offence but later changed the plea to guilty.

Councillor Terence Chapman, chairman of the planning committee for the council, said: “This case sends out a clear message that anyone cannot build what they want to if it contravenes planning laws as they may be asked to take it down again.

“This fence was an eyesore and was subject of numerous complaints, so the council is pleased that we were able to use planning laws to get the right outcome.”