Magistrate orders property owner to pay £3740 for unauthorised work on Grade II listed building in Margate

The owner of a building in Trinity Square, Margate pleaded guilty to non-compliance with the Listed Building enforcement notice, at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on Monday 19 April 2021.

• In 2017, the outside of a property on Trinity Square, Margate was painted an unauthorised dark blue colour which was deemed both harmful and unsympathetic to the surrounding Listed Buildings within Trinity Square. 
• An enforcement notice was served in February 2020 and the owner subsequently submitted an application for Listed Building consent, which the council granted. This allowed the owner to paint the building a different colour, despite an enforcement notice having been served, subject to the strict stipulation that an approved colour was chosen. 
• When the enforcement notice, with its compliance date of June 2020, was not complied with the case was referred to the council’s legal department who then pursued prosecution for non-compliance of the Listed Building enforcement notice.
• The owner occupier pleaded guilty at the Magistrates’ Court and was ordered to pay a total of £3740. A fine of £2000, plus a surcharge of £180 and costs in the sum of £1560. 

Bob Porter, Director of Housing and Planning, said: “The council has a duty to protect Listed Buildings across Thanet and will seek to take action against anyone who carries out unauthorised work. In this particular case, a clear breach of the regulations had occurred and the owner did not take remedial action despite our teams trying to negotiate a solution with them. 

“Listed buildings are an important part of our heritage, so it is extremely important that residents are aware that the council will take action, even if it takes many years, in order to protect it. We’re pleased to see that the Listed Building enforcement notice has now been complied with.”

A planning breach, which includes an unauthorised change of use of a building or land, and building works, can be reported on the council’s website.