Company fined thousands for failing to clean up land

A company has been given a hefty fine by Leicester Crown Court after failing to ensure a clean-up of an eyesore section of land in Earl Shilton.

Building waste, general rubbish and other mess was left on the land behind the former King William IV pub in The Hollow, Earl Shilton for more than a year. People living around the site complained the mess was encouraging others to fly tip in the area and that it was attracting anti-social behaviour.

The owner of the land was Regis Development Group Limited of St. Matthews Business Centre, Leicester. The directors of the company ignored several council demands to clean up the land, and the company was ordered to pay a £10,000 fine by Leicester Magistrates in October 2023.

However, Regis Development Group appealed against the sentencing and at Leicester Crown Court on 26 July 2024 the fine was reduced to £8,000.

At the original court hearing (18 October 2023) the Magistrates Court heard Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council was first made aware of the problem by people living around the site in August 2022. After Regis Development ignored informal advice, Officers from our Clean Neighbourhood team subsequently served the first Community Protection Notice (under Section 43 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing act 2014) on the landowner on 1 December 2022.

The Notice required Regis Development to clear the mess by 6 January 2023, but this was repeatedly ignored, and the mess remained.

Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council’s Executive Member for Parks, Open Spaces and Neighbourhood Services, Councillor Lynda Hodgkins, said: “This land was left in an unacceptable state, and this can have a negative impact on nearby homes and businesses. The director of the company was given ample opportunities to clear it up but chose to ignore those warnings which left the council with no option other than to prosecute the company.  

“We will not hesitate to act in these circumstances to protect others from the misery this can cause. I am grateful to all those involved, particularly local councillors Richard and Claire Allen and those local residents who originally highlighted the state of the land.”