Fine for owner of former potbank
Firm failed to sort out Falcon Works
THE owner of an arson-hit former pottery has been ordered to pay more than £1,400 after failing to comply with a council order to improve the site.
Falcon Works, in Sturgess Street, Stoke, was bought by London-based Diwan Property Development Ltd in early 2021.
The historic building, which dates back to the 1870s, features two bottle kilns and is Grade II listed.
But in recent years it has been vacant and in July fire crews spent more than four hours tackling a blaze believed to have been started deliberately.
Stoke on Trent City Council issued a notice in 2017 requiring the site to be maintained.
Magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard that the site had changed hands since - but its new owners would have been aware of the notice.
At Monday’s court hearing Ali Bash-imam, director of Diwan Property Development Ltd of Wembley Hill, Wembley, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the notice to maintain the site in April.
He asked for the case to be adjourned to enable a solicitor to be appointed, after a previous one pulled out, but the request was rejected and proceedings continued.
Stoke-on-trent City Council ordered work to be carried out through a planning enforcement ‘Section 215’ notice. Works required included the boarding up of window openings, removal of foliage growth from the main building and bottle
oven, repointing of brickwork on the bottle ovens and repointing of deteriorated joints on the main building. Rebecca Williams, prosecuting on behalf of Stoke-on-trent City Council, said: “There has been a significant detrimental impact on the appearance and condition of the site.
“This is a very important and prominent heritage site for the city and is considered to be a top priority for the authority.
“There has been a change in ownership and in January 2021 we received notification to say the site had been purchased. Correspondence confirmed the new owner intended to fully comply with the notice.
“Between April 2021 and August 2022 the council requested the notice to be complied with. The council visited the site and the requirements of the notice had not been met.”
Magistrates fined Diwan Property Development Ltd £666. The company has also been ordered to pay £800 costs.
Magistrate Paul Veal said: “We feel there has been a wilful refusal to carry out work as no work has been carried out.
“We would be imposing the full fine, which is £1,000, however because you pleaded guilty this has been reduced by a third.”