The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A Spalding off-licence owner faces prosecution unless he quickly starts restoring unauthorised work on the property.
An appeal process against South Holland District Council’s decision to refuse retrospective consent for the work at the former Station Gates pub in Winsover Road has collapsed after business owner Zagros Abdullah failed to supply all the necessary paperwork in time.
In August last year, a wall and window were removed from the Station Approach elevation of the building, and replaced with a door and window. The council had given permission for the temporary removal of the wall and window to enable large freezers to be taken in.
However, instead of putting the wall and window back in, Mr Abdullah had a new entrance built.
When a planning application for the work came before councillors in October, it was dismissed on the grounds it caused “unacceptable harm to the character of a prominent, traditional building”. One member accused Mr Abdullah of being “bloody-minded” by just going ahead with the work.
Mr Abdullah appealed the decision but the Planning Inspectorate told him last week that he had failed to meet the deadline for supplying all required documents so it was unable to take any action.
A council spokesman said on Thursday: “The Planning Inspectorate confirmed in the letter that the appeal had been turned away.
“This means he is now in breach of the enforcement notice as the works to restore the window have not taken place within the required timescale.
“Given this, we will be writing to Mr Abdullah and the owner this week asking them to confirm if the alterations are due to be carried out imminently or face prosecution for not complying with the enforcement notice.”
