News MBC prosecutes Boxley landowner to stop harm to Kent Downs National Landscape
Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) has successfully achieved a prosecution against a landowner in the North Kent Downs National Landscape at Bell Lane, Boxley.
The Bell Lane site stretches across a significant area of more than 36 acres which has been blighted by the landowner, Mr Langley Beck, after being littered with commercial and industrial waste for many years leaving the land contaminated as a result of illegal dumping and burning.
Mr Beck was finally sentenced in the criminal proceedings against him on 15 August 2024 when the Recorder HHJ Smith at Maidstone County Court fined Mr Beck £60,000, awarded costs to the Council of £40,000 and a victim surcharge of £170. Mr Beck was given 12 months to pay the costs and will serve 16 months in prison if he fails to do so.
Cllr Clive English, MBC Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Enforcement said:
“The sentencing of Mr Beck should send a clear message that this type of illegal dumping of waste will not be tolerated, it contaminates and destroys the land and surrounding areas. MBC has worked closely with its partner agencies to take the strongest possible action against people like Mr Beck who repeatedly flout the law.”
For the past 19 years, the Council has been trying to resolve the issue with the landowner, taking legal action in 2021 with the help of Ivy Legal against Mr Beck who has previously ignored requirements of an Enforcement Notice in 2014 to stop living on the land and the unlawful disposal of waste / car parts etc and to restore the land. The unlawful site continued to expand and there was a continued threat of further harm to the area.
MBC began legal proceedings to prevent further serious harm to the site that is located within land designated as a National Landscape, (formally an area of outstanding national beauty), an Ancient Woodland and covered by a Tree Preservation Order. The Council initially obtained a High Court Interim Injunction in 2021 and later secured a Full Injunction.
Tony Harwood, MBC Cabinet Member for Planning Policy and Management added:
“The Council has worked hard in trying to stop the catastrophic harm being inflicted on this ancient woodland site and ensure a clean-up with the landowner - over many years, however he chose to ignore an Enforcement Notice and then a Full Injunction.“Although this has been a long, complex and extremely difficult case, the outcome is appropriate and sends out a strong message that Maidstone Borough Council will not tolerate abuse of our precious countryside. This sentence now brings these particular criminal proceedings to a close, but we vow to be just as tough with those other offenders we are actively enforcing against.”
In line with this order, Mr Beck’s suspended prison sentence states he is to stop living on the land and clear it up within 18 months. This means that by 15 February 2025 he will need to achieve compliance. If he has not done so, the Council can return to the court to seek Mr Beck’s imprisonment.
Officers from MBC’s Planning Enforcement, Community Protection and Waste Crime Teams, the Environment Agency, Kent Fire and Rescue Service and Kent Police have all worked together to achieve the sentence.