Latest news with #LawfulDevelopmentCertificate
Daily Mirror
15-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Man in his 60s collapses and dies near felled Sycamore Gap beauty spot
A man got into difficulties on Saturday afternoon on a path close to the Steel Rigg in Northumberland National Park, where the Sycamore Gap tree was destroyed last year A walker died after collapsing in the sweltering heat on the path where the Sycamore Gap tree once stood. The man in his 60s, who has not yet been named, needed urgent medical help at Steel Rigg near Hadrian's Wall on Saturday as temperatures hit 30c. But he couldn't be revived, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team were called to the incident and said in a statement: "Our thoughts and condolences go to the walker's friends and family." A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: "At 1pm on Saturday, July 5, we received a report via the ambulance service that a person was suffering a medical episode while on a path close to Steel Rigg car park in Northumberland. Emergency services attended but the person – a man in his 60s – was sadly pronounced dead a short time later. The man's next of kin have been informed. A report into the man's death has been prepared for the coroner." Today, two former workmates are both facing up to 10 years behind bars today after they were found guilty of felling the Sycamore Gap tree. Friends Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, had denied criminal damage to the tree, which was around 150 years old, and Hadrian's Wall, despite overwhelming evidence against them. The news that shocked the nation left people in disgust over the act and the pair have been convicted of two counts of criminal damage. The famous tree had been growing in a dip on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland for more than 100 years before it was savagely cut down by the pair. A jury at Newcastle Crown Court heard that they had filmed themselves on their 'moronic mission' before boasting about it in text messages. Carruthers was said to have been motivated by a desire to get a trophy from the tree as a 'souvenir' for his daughter, who had been born just 12 days before the tree was felled on September 28, 2023. There has been an application for Graham and Carruthers to appear in handcuffs in the dock. It is a security measure put in place on occasions to prevent defendants attacking each other before sentence is passed. The application is from the firm responsible for dock security; it has to be agreed by the Judge Mrs Justice Lambert. Graham had a grudge against authorities who rejected his bid to live near Hadrian's Wall. He had made an application for a 'Lawful Development Certificate' in 2022. Residents and planning officials from Beaumont Parish Council, a remote Cumbrian rural community, told how they felt threatened by Graham's 'dominant and oppressive behaviour'. When he was charged with felling the tree, a neighbour told of his dislike of the authorities. "When he was refused permission to live there, many people thought he said 'right, I will show them'," said one woman, who declined to be named. "They thought that could have motivated him to do it. His site grew and grew, there were big lorries going back and forth all the time. "He built a mound to hide what was going on there. When we saw all the police vehicles there, after the tree was felled, we initially thought it was to do with the hunt for a missing person. Later, it became apparent that he had been questioned over the tree." She added: "His behaviour did not change once he was arrested. He still had people going back and forth at all hours of the day and night."
Daily Mirror
14-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Sycamore Gap yob facing jail and being kicked out of his home
Daniel Graham is facing years behind bars when he is sentenced at Newcastle crown court for the crime which shocked millions. He has been told he has to find 'other accommodation' One of the Sycamore Gap 'morons' who chopped down arguably the most famous tree on the planet is about to lose his home as well as his freedom. Daniel Graham is facing years behind bars when he is sentenced at Newcastle crown court tomorrow for the crime which shocked millions of nature lovers. In the run up to his 'moronic mission', Graham, 39, was locked in a bitter planning dispute with his local council. He was issued with an enforcement notice by Cumberland Council for his home and business premises at Millbeck Stables on the edge of Carlisle, Cumbria, within Hadrian's Wall 's UNESCO World Heritage site 'buffer zone'. Now he has been told that he has until October 28, 2025 to find 'other accommodation'. That is almost certain to be prison for Graham and his co-accused Adam Carruthers. But the decision means Graham will have no home to come back to when he is released from his sentence. A Cumberland council spokesperson said: 'A decision was taken to uphold the council's enforcement notice. We are now bound by the conditions from the Planning Inspectorate. 'Mr Graham has six months from the date of the decision to find other accommodation, which is October 28, 2025. If he doesn't comply, we will consider our position at that point in time.' Graham had a grudge against authorities who rejected his bid to live near Hadrian's Wall. He had made an application for a 'Lawful Development Certificate' in 2022. Residents and planning officials from Beaumont Parish Council, a remote Cumbrian rural community, told how they felt threatened by Graham's 'dominant and oppressive behaviour'. The council rejected his retrospective bid to live on the site of his Millbeck Stables and warned he faced eviction. In a 'decision and reasons report', Graham was told that the application was 'far beyond a replacement dwelling' as he had claimed. One of the reasons for objecting to his plans was because of its proximity to Hadrian's Wall. "The application site is located approximately 100m south west from Hadrian's Wall vallum and within the World Heritage Site's buffer zone," the documents state. Locals said heavy plant vehicles were regularly going in and out of the property with several 'near misses' on the rural roads. A neighbour in the village, Grinsdale Bridge, close to Graham's home, said: "Every reasonable complaint he received about this monstrosity he built was met with threats and aggression." A large burial plot, apparently for a dead horse, can be seen from the gates to the property, decorated with lions' heads. A final letter of refusal was made in April, 2023. The Sycamore Gap tree was felled little more than five months later. Several locals objected to his application to live on the site, and believe his rage against authority may have been part of his motivation for the crime.
South Wales Argus
13-07-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Newport couple's home still classed as a guest house
Ken and Catherine Shaw, of Waterloo Road, Newport, have lived in their property since 2002, unaware it was once classed as a guest house. The confusion came to light when a potential buyer's solicitor asked for evidence proving the house had returned to residential use. The Shaws have now applied for a Lawful Development Certificate for an existing use, stating the house has been used as a home for more than 10 years. The couple bought their house in May 2002. They were not aware that a 1996 planning permission had been issued for the "use of dwelling as a guest house". The application has been made alongside evidence such as a land registry extract, utility bills, mortgage statements, and council tax bills. The majority of these documents all date back to before November 2021. The Shaws have also provided statutory declarations confirming the house has been their family home for years. One key piece of evidence is the absence of any tenancy agreements, supporting their claim that the property has not been rented out as a guest house. The couple faced initial difficulties in identifying the correct application route. However, with the help of Newport City Council's senior planning officer Jacob Cooke and solicitor Emma Selfridge, they were able to submit the correct documents. The application, which was submitted on June 20, remains under consideration until July 16, with no objections recorded so far. The couple had to pay a fee of £460 for the application. As of now, no decision letter has been issued. The Shaws are awaiting the decision from Newport City Council. The outcome of this case could set a precedent for similar situations in the future, where a property's previous classification creates complications for its current owners.
North Wales Live
22-06-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
Multi-million pound eco-lodges development near one of Anglesey's best known beaches up for sale
A development of eco-lodges near one of Anglesey's best known beaches has been put on the market. The site for the planned lodges is at Red Wharf Bay on the east coast of the island. Planning has been approved for nine units on the land but it is understood development has not started. The development has now been placed up for sale for £3.1m. It is on with Advantage Real Estate who described it as an "exceptional lifestyle purchase". The agent said: "A rare opportunity to acquire a premium collection of eco-conscious holiday lodges in one of Anglesey's most sought-after coastal locations. Nestled within the stunning landscape of Red Wharf Bay, this exclusive development offers a unique combination of luxury, sustainability, and exceptional leisure living." Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox They said each lodge is designed with a hot tub and sauna as well as private terraces and outdoor kitchens. The agent added: "Constructed using sustainable, environmentally friendly materials, the lodges provide superior thermal insulation and soundproofing to ensure comfort in all seasons. "This development responds to strong market demand for high-quality coastal accommodation and offers an attractive investment proposition as well as an exceptional lifestyle purchase." Anglesey council said that outline planning permission was granted in 2013 for for the siting of nine holiday chalets together with the installation of a sewage treatment plant. The council added: "An application then followed for Reserved Matters was approved in 2015. A further application for Reserved Matters followed in 2019 and this was approved under application. Also, two applications to discharge the conditions were approved in 2019. "In the absence of an application for a Lawful Development Certificate, the Local Planning Authority is not aware if the planning has been lawfully implemented and as such there is no 'fallback position'. A new application submitted in 2023 was refused last year."
South Wales Argus
22-06-2025
- South Wales Argus
Application for Milman Street flat in Pillgwenlly refused
The application for Flat 4 at Milman Street, Pillgwenlly, was turned down after failing to prove the property was continuously used as a residence for a required period. The application sought a Lawful Development Certificate for the existing use of the flat. The case officer's visit on April 9 found the flat appeared to be under renovation and vacant, with no evidence of continuous use. The application was based on a mix of evidence, including electrical certificates for four flats dated March 2018, a 2016 email from a housing licensing officer, and a 2019 letter from an environmental health officer suggesting the presence of four flats. Handwritten letters from previous tenants, a 2017 video, and a fire detection certificate referencing all four flats were also provided. However, the evidence was found to be insufficiently precise or unambiguous to confirm the existence and continuous occupation of a fourth flat. Key issues identified included the absence of proof for the continuous occupancy of Flat 4 during the four-year period required. Documentation detailing how Flat 4 fits into the building was also missing. The letters provided were not in the statutory declaration form. Council tax records since 2019 list only three flats. The Newport Local Development Plan (2011–2026) was not directly relevant to the decision. The case officer's delegated decision report noted that legal advice supported the refusal to issue the certificate. The report concluded: "The application did not provide sufficiently precise or unambiguous evidence to confirm the existence and continuous occupation of a fourth flat." The decision was made with consideration of crime prevention, equality, and Welsh language impact policies, with no significant concerns noted. The site has a history of planning applications. In 2017, a certificate was issued confirming lawful use as three flats, while between 1990 and 1992, a change of use to multiple occupation was refused but later allowed on appeal. The decision report implies the refusal occurred soon after the site visit.
