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Fine hike for unauthorised demolition of listed buildings
Threefold fines increase for offences involving listed buildings and trees now law - Attwood
Environment Minister, Alex Attwood, has announced that Magistrates' courts can now impose fines of up to £100,000 for certain offences relating to listed buildings or protected trees. This is a threefold increase on the previous figure.
Alex Attwood said: "This sends out a clear message to anyone seeking to ride roughshod over our built and natural heritage, to think again. I am committed to protecting our built and natural environment and to effective planning enforcement. In my opinion, the fines that were issued in the past were not a significant deterrent to those who demolished listed buildings and felled trees. They could still pay the fine and make significant profits from building on the ground they had rased.
“These fines which are now on the statute book will act as a real deterrent to those who flout planning controls. They could either put a huge dent in or wipe out any potential financial gain by an unscrupulous developer, demolishing a listed building or felling trees protected by a tree preservation order."