TWO pig farm owners have been handed massive fines after they failed to comply with planning regulations.

Nicholas John Compton and Francis Kamunga, who own Fairfield Piggeries in Bradford on Avon, failed to abide by an enforcement notice issued by Wiltshire Council.

They unlawfully used the farm under Class B8, which is storage and distribution, and failed to remove items associated with unauthorised use.

Between them, they must pay more than £4,000.

A senior councillor has said the authority had “little option” but to prosecute the Kamunga and Compton, and said they will “pursue full compliance with enforcement notices”.

Wiltshire Council said that the pair were using the farm for light industry; storage and distribution; and deposit of waste without planning permission.

The landowners applied for retrospective planning permission but it was refused, which led the authority to serve an enforcement notice in October 2018.

An enforcement notice is issued where the local authority believes that there has been a breach of planning control.

But Kamunga and Compton again appealed, this time to the Secretary of State, who upheld the enforcement notice.

The council says the landowner did not comply with the enforcement notice, which led to Wiltshire Council bringing the prosecution under section 179 of the Town and Country Planning Act.

Kamunga, of Sheppards Drove in West Ashton, was convicted at a trial held at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court on September 12. He was fined £1,500, and must also pay a £150 victim surcharge and £1,350 costs.

Compton, of Leigh Road in Bradford on Avon, had initially denied the charge but changed his plea to guilty on the day of the trial. He was fined £1,000, and must pay a £100 victim surcharge plus £300 in costs.

Reacting to the prosecution, Cllr Nick Botterill, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, said: "We take all breaches of planning enforcement very seriously and only ever prosecute people as a last resort.

“As the landowner did not comply with the enforcement notice after it was upheld by the Secretary of State on appeal, we had little option. The outcome demonstrates that our approach was justified.

"This decision shows the importance of securing planning permission for a particular development before works begin so that we can make sure that any impacts on local communities are carefully addressed.

"We will continue to pursue full compliance with the enforcement notices issued at this particular site.”