Caddington mobile home park owner fined again for destroying ancient hedgerows

Just days after being ordered to pay £13,499 for operating Hillcrest Mobile Park Home without a licence (see previous story here), owners Mayphil Park Sales Ltd were further fined £500 with costs and a victim surcharge of £929.

Luton Magistrates’ Court heard that on September 11, 2019 the planning enforcement team received a complaint that a hedgerow along the boundary of the Hillcrest Mobile Home Park, Manor Road, Caddington was being removed.

Enforcement officers visited later that day and confirmed that a 70-metre section of protected rural hedgerow had been removed, leaving the stumps of trees and disturbed ground where the hedgerow had been grubbed out.

The hedgerow was in the Green Belt and is shown on the 1798 enclosure map for Caddington and possibly dated back to medieval times.

It was protected by law by reason of its historic importance and permission was required from the council to remove it. No permission had been sought in this case and if an application had been made then it would have been refused because of the hedgerow’s historic importance.

Mayphil Park Sales Ltd own the land where the hedgerow was and were responsible for its removal. They will now be served a Hedgerow Replacement Notice requiring a suitable hedgerow is replanted in the location.

Cllr Kevin Collins, Executive Member for Planning and Regeneration at the council said: “Our ancient hedgerows are part of the heritage of our predominantly rural patch.

“We will always act swiftly and decisively to protect them and bring to account anyone who damages them.”