Vale Council to prosecute Sully landowner over unauthorised development
The Vale of Glamorgan Council is to begin proceedings to prosecute the owner of a site at Hayes Road in Sully over repeated breaches of planning law.
The site, adjacent to the Ty Hafan Hospice, is currently subject to an Enforcement Notice prohibiting any ground engineering works at the site. However, there have been repeated incidents of the use of heavy machinery to excavate ground.
Cllr Lis Burnett, Leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, said: “Our planning team has visited to the site and has spoken to the landowner several times and have exchanged countless letters and emails in an attempt to get him to understand what is and isn’t permitted at the site.
“Despite this there have been repeated examples of unauthorised work being carried out and the only conclusion we can draw is that he has a flagrant disregard for his obligations as a landowner and for the impact these works have on the surrounding area.
“This site is particularly sensitive due to it being so close to the Ty Hafan children’s hospice. There was rightly a public outcry when breaches of the planning conditions first occurred in late 2023.
“We believe legal action is now the only way to bring all work at the site to a stop. We will prosecute the landowner to the full extent of our powers.
“In recent days the landowner has sought to bypass the planning process and meet directly with me and other local politicians to discuss the matter. I have been clear in my reply that I will not do so while he continues to impose such a blight on the area.”
In informing the landowner that proceedings to prosecute are now underway the Council has sought an assurance that all excavation work cease and again set out clearly that any further operational development would amount to further prosecutable offences.
On recent inspection by the Council’s planning enforcement team it appeared the site is currently being used to store HGV trailers, storage containers, and commercial waste. This use of the land is not permitted. The landowner has been instructed to remove these from the land within 28 days or face further enforcement action.