Ancient woodland cleared
Landowner sent to prison after ignoring court order protecting site
A woman has been jailed after destroying part of an ancient woodland to build a caravan site near Maidstone.
Elvina Matthews was also fined £5,000 and ordered to pay the borough council’s costs of £10,795 for cutting down trees on land west of Water Lane, Harrietsham.
The local authority started legal proceedings last year after receiving a complaint.
Upon visiting, its planning enforcement team discovered a quarter of a hectare of protected trees had been uprooted and were in the process of being removed.
In addition, a large quantity of hardcore had been imported to raise and level half of the site and two caravans placed on the land.
A council spokesman said: “A clear breach of planning control had occurred and irreparable harm had been caused.”
A temporary stop notice was served on October 6, when work continued despite the warnings. Tree root balls were removed and further hardcore was imported.
The council then applied to the High Court for an injunction order to prevent any further construction on the land. An interim injunction was granted made final in October. The injunction prohibited further caravans being brought onto the land, hardcore being laid, breaching planning controls and cutting down protected trees.
The council spokesman said: “Disappointingly, despite being served the injunction, works continued in breach of the requirements of the order. “With a larger mobile chalet home being brought onto the land to replace one of the caravans, there was further clearance of the site with the use of plant machinery; further hardcore was brought onto the site; the site was raised and levelled; stables and fencing were erected.
“Due to the serious nature of the breaches of the injunction MBC applied to commit Ms Matthews for Contempt of Court.” Matthews admitted disobeying the terms of the injunction and was sentenced to eight months in prison – two to be served immediately and six suspended.