The owners of a Sandown eyesore must pay thousands of pounds in fines and costs after failing to undertake repairs to the property.
Graham Assets Ltd and company director, Moses Meisels, were prosecuted by the Isle of Wight Council for failing to comply with a Section 215 Notice in relation to a large derelict building on the corner of Fitzroy Street and Station Avenue.
Prosecuted and fined
No-one from the Mainland company was present at the Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court for Tuesday’s hearing, but the case proceeded in their absence and was found proved.
The landowners must collectively pay nearly £8,000 in fines, surcharges and costs.
The council said the legal action underlined its commitment to actively enforcing against owners of buildings that are falling into a state of disrepair.
Fuller: Trying to ignore the council can end up with landowners having a criminal record and paying fines
Councillor Paul Fuller, Cabinet member for planning, said,
“This has been a long process, which started before the sale of the building in 2021.
“Despite significant attempted communication by the council, the landowner failed to undertake any remedial works to bring the property back to a satisfactory level of repair with a knock-on affect of anti-social behaviour and trespass into the building.
“It will always be in the landowners’ best interests to work with the council to avoid formal action. This prosecution goes to prove that trying to ignore the council can end up with landowners having a criminal record and paying fines.”
In July 2023 the council served a notice under Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 which specified an extensive list of repairs required. The Notice came into effect on 31 August 2023 with a compliance period of six months.
The council established that by March 2024 no works had been undertaken and therefore the landowner was in breach of the Notice.
Ward: The building has negatively affected this part of Sandown for many years
Local ward member, Councillor Ian Ward, said,
“This building has lain desolate and has negatively affected this part of Sandown for many years.
“The owners have recently been given planning permission for flats so I hope this will give them the incentive to solve one of Sandown’s problem buildings.”
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
