Scots couple who built sunroom face court as council cracks down on planning breaches

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A couple who failed to pay fines for breaching planning rules could face court after officers at a Scots council referred them to the Crown Office.Councillors in Midlothian this week approved plans to seek prosecution against two separate homes, after they issued enforcement notices on properties which have not been met.

James Bevis and his partner Louise are one of the couples affected, after they built a sunroom and garage at the side of their corner house in Mayfield five years ago for just £3,000, reports Edinburgh Live.

Appeals against the decision were made after council planners objected to the structure, saying it was too far forward from the front of their home.Planning chief Peter Arnsdorf told councillors a £2,000 Fixed Penalty Notice had been issued to the couple after they failed to demolish the sunroom and garage.However, ward councillor Bryan Pottinger had hoped for a resolution, saying: "It is a tidy building that matches the area."The officers' report said no letters of objection were received and two neighbours wrote in support of it, at the time of the initial planning application.The action was unanimously approved by the committee who were also asked to approve referring a farmhouse owner who failed to change windows on an approved extension from clear to opaque.Mr Arnsdorf said the owner of the property ailed to act on the enforcement notice or pay a £2,000 fine issued for the work at at Edgehead, Pathhead.

Planning consent for an extension had been granted, but two windows had to be opaque because they overlooked neighbours.Councillors unanimously backed sending the Edgehead case to the Crown Office at a meeting on Wednesday.