Sainsbury's fined £4,000 for breaching planning notice
Sainsbury's Supermarkets Limited was found guilty of four breaches of
the condition notice served on its Sainsbury's Local store, in
Hillmorton Road, at a hearing held at Nuneaton's Warwickshire Justice
Centre on Tuesday 5 January.
It was the third time the store had been prosecuted for breaching the
notice after magistrates imposed fines in April and September 2015.
The court heard the store was granted planning permission in 2010, with a
condition all delivery vehicles had to park within the boundary of the
store's site while unloading goods.
But from August 2012 the council received a number of complaints about
vehicles parking on Hillmorton Road while making deliveries to the
store.
And when talks between the council's planning enforcement team and the
store's manager failed to resolve the issue, the council served a breach
of condition notice in August 2013 - making further breaches of the
planning condition a criminal offence.
Sainsbury's was fined £1,000 by magistrates for a breach of the
condition notice at a hearing in April 2015, and a further £2,000 for
two breaches of the notice at a hearing in September 2015.
At last week's hearing, Sainsbury's was found guilty in its absence of a
further four breaches of the condition. The breaches took place on 25
October, 1 November, 8 November and 15 November, and on each occasion a
delivery parked on Hillmorton Road, blocking the footpath.
Magistrates imposed a £4,000 fine - £1,000 for each breach - and ordered
Sainsbury's to pay a £100 victim surcharge and £384 costs.
Speaking after the hearing, Cllr Heather Timms, Rugby Borough Council
portfolio holder for development, said: "This condition was included in
the planning permission granted to Sainsbury's in order to ensure the
safety of pedestrians and drivers on Hillmorton Road.
"Our planning enforcement team always aims to resolve issues such as
this through constructive dialogue but unfortunately in this case we
have been forced to take the matter to court."
Residents can report suspected breaches of planning conditions or
planning permission by calling the council's planning enforcement team
on (01788) 533759 or emailing rbc.planning@rugby.gov.uk