Bognor Regis business owner fined £2,000 for erecting two meter high 'eyesore' fence without permission

Mr Callan Wood, director of CW Bikes Ltd erected a two metre high fence around the access to one of his fields without seeking planning permission from the council.

He appeared at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on February 14, 2023, where he was fined £1,923 for failing to comply with an enforcement notice, and made to pay a £796 victim surcharge, as well as £800 of legal fees to Arun District Council.

The two meter high metal fence was installed on land at Brooks Lane, in Bognor Regis back in 2021. But, since Mr Woods did not seek planning permission for the installation, he was served an enforcement notice in January 2022, requiring the reduction of the fence’s height to one metre or its total removal.

Mr Wood and his company failed to comply with the enforcement notice on time, although the fence and gates were removed from the area a week before the court hearing. At first, the company denied the offence but later changed its plea to guilty.

“This case sends out a clear message that anyone cannot build what they want to if it contravenes planning laws as they may be asked to take it down again,” said planning committee chair and Arun district councillor Terrence Chapman.

"This fence was an eyesore and was subject of numerous complaints, so the council is pleased that we were able to use planning laws to get the right outcome.”

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