With a new report of another owner of a heritage building successfully prosecuted, Bob Kindred, who manages the IHBC’s LB Prosecutions Database documents is encouraging any cases not already on his records to be forwarded to him at government@ihbc.org.uk.
Bob Kindred said: ‘Although successful prosecutions for listed building offences appear on the IHBC’s on-line LB Prosecutions Database the Institute has noted recently some local authority prosecutions have been concluded but the details have not been forwarded to us.’
‘Many councils find the database invaluable in briefing their legal and/or enforcement teams and as a companion resource to Historic England’s ‘Heritage Crime Guidance for Sentencers’. Other guidance on this subject also appears in the IHBC’s Toolbox.’
Where the fines have been noted to be low (and therefore not likely to have been an effective sanction), and neither our Database nor the HE guidance appears to have been cited, and/or the Magistrates Court is unaware; we can sometimes follow up such cases to see what supporting background material was available prior to sentencing.
EXPLORE THE IHBC PROSECUTIONS DATABASE & DOCUMENTS
Fenland District Council writes of the case of an owner of a heritage building prosecuted by council for failing to repair it:
Fenland District Council prosecuted the Whitfield Group, owners of the former Franks butchers, at 10 Market Place, for failing to comply with an order to complete improvements within two months.
At Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, February 17, The Whitfield Group, registered at Oakington Road, Westwick, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the order which was issued in March last year. The owners had done some work at the site.
Cllr Dee Laws, Fenland District Council’s portfolio holder for planning, said: ‘We hope this action sends a message to all owners of heritage buildings in Fenland that we won’t stand by and watch them degrade.
‘And that now the owners of this building will do the right thing and take the action we’ve ordered to preserve this important building’s future.’
The Whitfield Group must now comply with the order. The council will work with them to agree a reasonable, as soon as possible, deadline for works to be achieved.
The council works closely with property owners to encourage and drive restoration and preservation of buildings.
The Whitfield Group was ordered to pay a total of £810 for failing to comply with the order. If they fail to meet the deadline again, they could face further prosecution and a daily fine of up to £500.
View the IHBC LB Prosecutions Database: People are urged to send data of recent cases (or old ones that may have been missed) directly to IHBC in the format used on-line to government@ihbc.org.uk’
Visit the IHBC Listed Buildings Database Commentary
For the ‘Heritage Crime Guidance for Sentencers 2017’ see the IHBC NewsBlog
