A HOUSING developer has been fined thousands of pounds for leaving an unsightly mess at The Lawns development site, in Coronation Avenue, East Tilbury, which he has planning permission to build 18 homes on.
Tom Ingleton, Director of Ingleton Luxury Homes Ltd, pleaded guilty to not complying with a legal order to tidy the site issued to him over a year ago by Thurrock Council when he appeared at Basildon Magistrates Court on Tuesday 9 July.
He has been fined £3,400 personally and an additional £3,492 as director of the house building company.
Cllr Lee Watson, Cabinet member for Good Growth, said: “I hope this case serves as a warning to developers who think they can create a mess, disregard warnings and notices from the council, and behave as they please.
“Instead of building the homes he had permission to, this developer created an unsightly, and potentially hazardous, mess he clearly had no intention of clearing.
“Now he is facing the consequences of his actions. He has to pay out nearly £7,000 in fines and will be forced to clear his site as required by the notice we issued him last April.
“Residents should not have to put up with the mess left by irresponsible developers. This shows that we will always take action to protect our residents and their neighbourhoods.”
I have lived in East Tilbury for 45 years and have never been so unhappy to live here . I have to pass this site every time I go out and it feels like I live in a slum . How long now do we have to wait for this clear up ? I don’t think this will ever be done . The fine was a joke in my eyes and I don’t think this is a large enough fine to stop any greedy developer to move into an area and ruin it the way this developer has. Unlike people like me this developer probably lives in a nice area and me and all East Tilbury residents have to endure this for no doubt many more years . The white site needs demolishing and grassed over ,it’s disgusting.
About time, can’t believe it has been left for this long. Absolutely shocking!! The site was on fire the other week and a fire brigade had to be called. It’s hazardous and unsafe.