Funfair owner is fined for breach of planning rules

BARRY Island amusement park owner Henry Danter has been ordered to pay £35,000 in fines and court costs after his dodgems building breached planning regulations.

Danter, 73, pleaded guilty at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to breaching part A1 of the Building Regulations 2010.

Danter, of Symonds Yat, Herefordshire, was fined £20,700 and ordered to pay £14,311 in court costs.

Jonathan Bird, Vale of Glamorgan council cabinet member for regeneration and planning, said that action was taken again Danter because of the dangers and lack of action to make changes.

He said: “The council has been working with Mr Danter in an effort to resolve his breach of building regulations for many months.

“Unfortunately, concerns that certain buildings at the Barry Island funfair site were dangerous, coupled with a lack of action to remedy the situation, resulted in court action being taken.

“It is imperative any construction at this location complies with building regulations to ensure public safety.

“We are pleased that the courts have recognised the seriousness of this matter by issuing Mr Danter with a significant fine and we will continue to work with him to resolve all other outstanding issues at the site.”

Danter took ownership of the famous seaside fairground in 2015 when he promised a £22m redevelopment of the site, with plans to see it become “the best tourist attraction in Wales” within five years.

Speaking after pleading guilty to breaking the building regulations Danter said: “I assumed it did not need permission.

“They must have been right because the magistrates agreed with them.

“We have been building these all our lives, the Town and Country Planning Act was what we were using but apparently it is wrong – that was what we lived by.

“They are saying anything with a roof counts, I don’t see how.

“I think they are wrong but the magistrates did not agree so you can’t say fairer than that.”