Mobile home towed away from 'messy' Great Bourton site

Cherwell District Council moved the unlawful mobile home, which had been placed on the land without planning permission, this morning. The council also cleared a large amount of fly-tipped waste. The landowners dumped waste including doors, baths, car parts, and bathroom tiles there, prompting complaints from residents and Bourtons Parish Council. Cllr Colin Clarke, Cherwell’s lead member for planning, said: “The planning system is there to ensure land is used for the right reasons, so it is our job to ensure planning permissions are followed and not abused. Direct action is a last resort, but we will not shy away from it when people leave us with no choice. “We first issued enforcement notices last year, obliging them to clear their land of a series of eyesores, including the mobile home. Much officer time has been devoted to trying to resolve the situation, but we are now regrettably at the point where we must take matters into our own hands. “I am pleased that the immediate problem has been resolved and now look forward to seeing the land being put back to its original condition.”Cherwell will now try to recover the £10,000 cost of the clean-up. Various options are available to the council, which could ultimately result in the council forcing the sale of the land.The landowners did not exercise their right to appeal against the enforcement notices and were given ample opportunities to voluntarily comply with the notices issued against them last year. They did not provide any justification as to why the notices were not complied with.