27 September 2023 , 07:57
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A man has refused to demolish a shed and toilet he built in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, despite a court order.
Stephen Windsor, 64, built a tool shed equipped with a compostable toilet in Quarry Woods, Box, in the first part of a self-created project to turn the land into accessible woodland for disabled people. He bought an area of the land back in 2021, but it's also land that has been designated an a high level of environmental protection as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to a rare bat population.
Adding to this, the Costwolds land is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). He did not seek planning permission for the two buildings he's so far set up, which led to Wiltshire Council ordering him to demolish them, due to their location in such an important and protected space. But he has vowed to fight the council “all the way” in a bid to save his precious buildings.
Windsor has vowed to fight the council “all the way” in a bid to save his precious buildings (SWNS)At Salisbury Magistrates' Court on February 16, Mr Windsor, of Johns Road in Bathwick, was found guilty of failing to comply with an enforcement notice. On July 28, he lost an appeal at the crown court and was also ordered to pay the council's costs of £1,700.
Despite these setbacks, Mr Windsor is adamant he will not allow the buildings to be demolished and says he will “exhaust every avenue” to protect his work. He said: “We’re appealing and will take this all the way, I’m not going to stop because the council can’t get away with this.
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"It’s going to be a beautiful thing and it is in keeping with the woodland, there’s no water, electricity or gas and you can’t see it from more than 20 metres away. I think it’s disgusting that the council would do this, I’m totally stressed all the time over this and just gobsmacked.”
Concerns have been raised by locals over the use of the site - with worries people may be living on-site, or move onto it as it develops. Mr Windsor believes he does not require planning permission as the structure is moveable and not attached to the ground.
It's the first part of a self-created project to turn the land into accessible woodland for disabled people (SWNS)The council have now applied for an injunction to push through the destruction of the shed. Cllr Nick Botterill, Cabinet Member for Development Management, said: "We are passionate about protecting Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty that fall within Wiltshire and our enforcement officers will take any action necessary to protect them.
"At this time Mr Windsor has still not complied with the enforcement notice and has in fact carried out further unlawful development on the site. As a result, an application for a High Court Injunction has been made, which if successful, will order the defendant to demolish the two buildings and remove the material."
Friends of Quarry Woods, a community group set up to preserve the nature site, supports the council's intervention. In a statement, a spokesperson said: "We are pleased to see that Wiltshire County Council are taking the strong legal protections of this site seriously, and hope they continue to do so for other sites across the county.
"The woods are hugely important for wildlife (including rare and protected bats) and for our community's wellbeing. We hope they will be safeguarded and appropriately managed for future generations."