A MAN who banked more than £100,000 after running a business and installing caravans illegally at a garden centre has been hit with a heavy fine.

Two men appeared in court after the pavement business and mobile homes were installed at the site.

Joseph Bibby and Simon Ellis, 56, were fined more than £7,000 in total after the paving business and caravans were installed at Fairways Garden Centre, Hullbridge Road, Rayleigh.

The two men appeared at Basildon Crown Court as Rochford District Council secured convictions in relation to offences of non-compliance with enforcement notices at the garden centre.

The courts heard the pair had repeatedly ignored notices about unauthorised use of the garden centre for the operation of a paving company and for the stationing of caravans for residential use.

There were 10 caravans being lived in around the site.

The council had issued the enforcement notices in 2010 and 2017 and the council says neither of these two notices were complied with fully, despite several attempts by the authority officers.

The planning laws state refusing to act after being handed a notice is a criminal offence and following the continued lack of action by the two men, the council started the court case.

Bibby made £126,997.36 during the operations and was handed a conditional discharge for 24 months and ordered to pay costs of £4088.58 in a year.

Ellis was also sentenced to conditional discharge for a year and ordered to pay costs of £3045.18 within one year. The sentencing for the third defendant was adjourned to April 2022.

The two defendants had previously appeared before Southend Magistrates Courts on November 17 and admitted the offences and the case had been adjourned to Basildon Crown Court to deal with confiscation of criminal proceeds.

Senior Rochford councillors said the case shows this sort of illegally incidents will not be tolerated by the authority.

Ian Ward, councillor for strategic planning said: “This is a great result for the Council and shows that non-compliance with Enforcement Notices in respect of planning permission across the District will not be tolerated. The planning enforcement process may seem lengthy but it's essential to protecting our District from unauthorised development and taking appropriate action. The Council does not condone breaches of planning control".