A man who ignored enforcement action by continuing to live in a property built without planning permission has been ordered to pay more than £25,000 or face prison.
Liam Snowden, 34, was convicted at York Crown Court in January.
Snowden was prosecuted for failing to comply with an enforcement notice issued in 2020 by Hambleton District Council, contrary to section 179(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act of 1990.
The court heard he had bought the land and converted a former agricultural building at East Field Barn, Deighton, near Northallerton, into his home but had not sought planning permission to do so.
Two subsequent applications for permission were lodged by Snowden, but both were refused, as were appeals to the Planning Inspectorate.
The case was taken on by North Yorkshire Council following local government reorganisation and in July 2024, Snowden pleaded not guilty to the offence at York Magistrates Court and elected for the matter to be heard at York Crown Court, causing a significant delay to proceedings.
Snowden was convicted after a four-day trial before the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, in January this year.
At his sentencing earlier this month (February), Snowden, who represented himself throughout, was fined £1,000, ordered to pay costs of £25,029 and a court surcharge of £100 within three months or face 30 days in prison.
Executive member for open to business, Cllr Mark Crane, whose responsibilities include planning policy, said: “Planning rules exist to protect our communities, our environment and the integrity of the planning system.
“When individuals choose to ignore those rules and defy enforcement action, we will not hesitate to take robust legal action.”
Cllr Crane said the case demonstrated that failing to comply with an enforcement notice could come with serious consequences.
He added: “We will continue to pursue those who flout the law and will always act to uphold the decisions made through the proper planning process.”
It is unusual that cases such as this reach Crown Court and Cllr Heather Phillips, executive member for corporate services, said it was important the council was able to recover the money involved in mounting the prosecution.
Cllr Phillips said: “The costs in this case were substantial and while this should not be the main consideration when deciding whether to progress with proceedings it is important that taxpayers’ money is recovered where possible.
“I am grateful that Judge Morris highlighted the need for this money to be repaid promptly and in full and Snowden was left in no doubt that if he did not comply, he would be sent to prison.”