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Wiltshire man receives suspended sentence for failing to remove unlawful woodland buildings

A Wiltshire man has received a 21-day suspended prison sentence for failing to remove unlawful woodland buildings on land known as Quarry Woods at Quarry Hill, Box, following successful enforcement work by Wiltshire Council officers.

Published 5 February 2025
Quarry Woods building

At a hearing at Bristol High Court on 30 January, Stephen Windsor, owner of the woodland, was found to have knowingly breached a High Court injunction to remove a wooden jetty platform.

He must now remove the structure by 30 April or face 21 days in prison. He was also ordered to pay Wiltshire Council's costs of £10,000 within 14 days.

This is long-running case. In February 2023 at Salisbury Magistrates Court, the owner of the woods had been found guilty of failing to comply with an enforcement notice to permanently demolish the buildings and remove the associated materials.

He then appealed against the decision in Salisbury Crown Court but lost the appeal in July 2023 and was ordered to pay the council's full costs of £1,700. The owner still failed to comply with the enforcement notice, and so the council sought a High Court injunction to ensure the demolition of the buildings in April 2024.

He failed to remove the wooden toilet block and jetty platform by the 5 May 2024 deadline and so the council then took this further action.  Whilst he removed the wooden toilet block just before being sentenced he failed to remove the wooden jetty platform.

Cllr Nick Botterill, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, said: This sentence underlines our firm stance on unauthorised buildings in Wiltshire.

It's unfortunate that the case has got to this stage, but I'd like to commend the persistence and dedication of our Planning Enforcement team in pursuing this case.

Although the structures may be small, they were built without permission in highly protected deciduous woodlands. The site holds multiple designations, including a Site of Special Scientific Interest, the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the North Wiltshire Greenbelt, and a Special Area of Conservation. It also serves as a critical habitat for ten percent of the UK's greater horseshoe bat population, one of our rarest species. Wiltshire Council has a legal duty to protect these spaces and uphold planning law.

Our message is clear: unauthorised building will not be tolerated in Wiltshire and we will use all available legal powers to enforce planning regulations.

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