TORFAEN council took a land owner to court after they failed to comply with an enforcement notice.

The owner of land next to Stepaside on Lower Stoney Road in Garndiffaith was fined £2,000.

The owner was found to be using the land for storing things such as plant and machinery, building materials and disused vehicles as well as two caravans for residential purposes.

A report to the council’s planning committee explains how planning permission was granted in 2002 for building a house on the plot of land and again in 2006 to build a property in a slightly different position.

The report said it was hoped work would then start on building the property, but this did not happen and the council served an Enforcement Notice in August 2008.

But it said the owner failed to comply with the notice and prosecution proceedings took place.

The owner was found guilty and fined £900 with costs of £368.50 and a £15 victim surcharge.

The owner was given the opportunity to comply with the notice, but when no significant steps had been taken to clear the site further prosecution proceedings started on May 26 this year.

The owner was found guilty of failing to comply with the notice and fined £2,000 with £331 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

The report said the owner had failed to pay the previous fine and was given a suspended prison sentence of 28 days.