WISBECH: Council's patience with developer finally runs out as prosecution now looms

A COUNCIL S patience with developers working on historic shops and flats in Wisbech has finally run out and the owners look set to be prosecuted. Fenland District Council will be asked next week to prosecute owners of 1 High Street, Wisbech, for unauthori

A COUNCIL'S patience with developers working on historic shops and flats in Wisbech has finally run out and the owners look set to be prosecuted.

Fenland District Council will be asked next week to prosecute owners of 1 High Street, Wisbech, for unauthorised works to a listed building.

Steve Robshaw, enforcement officer, will also ask the planning committee to agree to issue the owners with a Stop Notice to ensure work halts "and thus prevent further harm to a listed building".

The legal case against the owners is now being prepared and follows what Mr Robshaw describes as a "lack of voluntary co-operation" to ensure the work is carried out within the conditions attached to it.

Two years the council agreed to allow the Grade 2 listed building to be converted to four flats but conditions were imposed to ensure some works were carried out prior to the conversion taking place.

Mr Robshaw says officers have been to the site several times and both the owner and the agent spoken to and letters have also gone out asking for work to stop pending completion of the early works.

Exasperated by their lack of co-operation, Mr Robshaw will ask the planning committee to begin criminal proceedings against the owners.

He says the enforcement notice will remedy the breach of planning control and the Stop Notice will reduce the risk of further harm to a listed building.