B&B owner fined over balcony (From Salisbury Journal)

B&B owner fined over balcony

1:10pm Monday 10th September 2012 in News By Morwenna Blake

THE owner of a Winterslow B&B has been fined £100 and ordered to pay £100 costs for refusing to remove a balcony built without planning permission.

Winchester Crown Court heard that Fazia Carter had the balcony built on a flat roof at the back of the Shiralee guesthouse in Tytherley Road in 2009.

Neighbours objected to overlooking and noise from people using the balcony and Wiltshire Council refused permission for a series of planning applications relating to the work.

A planning inspector also deemed the balcony to be unacceptable and dismissed an appeal lodged by Mrs Carter.

When the council issued an enforcement notice, Mrs Carter still refused to remove the balcony, resulting in the council taking her to court.

In convicting Mrs Carter the court accepted the balcony has now been removed and took into account the small scale of the business.

Toby Sturgis, the council’s cabinet member with responsibility for planning, said: “Securing removal of the balcony has greatly improved the quality of life of neighbouring residential properties. “This case also proves that the council regards a breach of planning control as a serious matter and we will take action through the courts where necessary against people who are determined not to comply with an enforcement notice.”