Landlord fined £28,000 for unlawful outbuilding
Published
Tuesday 13 January, 2026
Updated
Tuesday 13 January, 2026
A Sheppey landlord who refused to demolish an unlawfully built outbuilding has been ordered to pay more than £28,000, following a successful prosecution by Swale Borough Council.
Haig Squire built a large brick and block detached outbuilding at a property in First Avenue, Queenborough.
The structure did not have the planning permission needed for a building of its size, location and use, which led to noise and disturbance.
The council issued an enforcement notice for the removal of the ‘obtrusive’, ‘oppressive’ and ‘overbearing’ structure in April 2019.
The enforcement notice was appealed, but this was dismissed by the Planning Inspector in December 2019, and the landlord was required to demolish the building and return the land to its original condition.
Mr Squire did not comply with this enforcement notice.
Following recent concerns raised by the public, along with a review of the circumstances of this case, the council decided to prosecute for non-compliance.
On 7 January 2026 Mr Squire pleaded guilty to the offence of failure to comply with a planning enforcement notice at Medway Magistrates’ Court.
He was ordered to pay a fine of £25,000, costs of £1,163, and a victim surcharge of £2,000.
The Court explained, in sentencing, that they were particularly concerned about the impact of the structure and Mr Squire’s continued defiance in failing to comply with the enforcement notice.
The total of £28,163 needs to be paid within 6 months, in monthly instalments.
The requirements of the enforcement notice - which includes demolishing the building, removing waste, and repairing any boundary fencing affected - will still need to be followed and progress will be monitored by the council.
Cllr Andy Booth, chairman of Swale Borough Council’s Planning Committee, said:
“Going to court is a last resort for the council as we will always try and work with everyone involved to find an amicable solution, but Mr Squire had left us no choice.
“He has consistently ignored our enforcement notices and is refusing to demolish the outbuildings, but this substantial fine should stand as a warning to anyone who wants to flout our planning regulations.
“The rules are there for a reason - to keep people safe, mitigate the impacts of buildings on other residents, and make sure developers are acting responsibly.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and take the appropriate action; we take our duties to keep our residents safe very seriously.”
