A company near King's Lynn has been fined for destroying an ancient heritage asset.
Lynn magistrates ordered Inivos Ltd to pay a fine of £1,200, and told to pay £1,200 costs and a £120 victim surcharge after the company failed to rebuild an ancient carrstone wall that it had demolished.
The company demolished an ancient perimeter wall at its premises in Setchey, which was considered to be an important non-designated heritage asset by King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council’s conservation team.
Despite an enforcement notice the company failed to rebuild the wall.
Inivos Ltd had been granted planning permission in June 2020 for the change of use of its premises, known as Deerfields, from a grain store to a warehouse.
A condition of this was that when a part of an existing boundary wall is taken down to provide a new entrance, it should be rebuilt in a new location and reuse the original materials if possible. The remainder of the boundary wall was to remain.
In February 2021, part of the carrstone wall had collapsed - which Inivos Ltd said was due to heavy frosts.
In March, the company told the council the wall had further deteriorated and was in need of complete demolition - and that they had a safety report confirming this.
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The company was asked to provide a copy of this report to the council and retain all materials to enable the wall to be rebuilt.
This report was never provided and the wall was not rebuilt.
On September 8, 2021, a formal Breach of Condition Notice was served on Inivos Ltd requiring the boundary wall to be rebuilt.
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By 2023 the council decided Inivos Ltd was not going to rebuild the wall and issued proceedings against the company.
On and between December 9, 2021 and February 15, 2023 the company failed to comply with the requirements of a Breach of Condition Notice contrary to section 187A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
Geoff Hall, executive director for planning and environment at the council, said: “As a result of the actions of Inivos Ltd an important heritage asset was lost, which was clearly in breach of the planning permissions for its site."
The company pleaded guilty and the wall will be rebuilt promptly.
Inivos Ltd was approached for comment.
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