The owners of a former industrial site blighted by tonnes of fly-tipped rubbish have been prosecuted and fined.

Milegate Limited and one of its company directors David Nourani were fined after ignoring an ‘Untidy Land Notice’ issued by Barnet Council’s Planning Enforcement Team requiring that the land behind the former Railway Hotel public house in Edgware be cleared.

Willesden Magistrates’ Court heard that despite repeated warnings Milegate Ltd failed to take action or sufficiently secure the site from further fly-tipping.

This forced Barnet Council to launch legal proceedings.

The company and Mr Nourani pleaded guilty and were fined £900 and £666 respectively. They were also ordered to pay costs of £3,154 each and a victim surcharge of £90 and £66 respectively.

In December last year Milegate Ltd, which also owns the nearby former Railway Hotel, was also prosecuted by the council and fined £2,000 after being found guilty of failing to rebuild a boundary wall in keeping with the Grade II Listed status of the building.

Councillor Shimon Ryde, Chairman of Barnet Council’s Planning Committee, said: “Our Planning Enforcement Team has repeatedly tried to encourage the owners of this land to clear it of rubbish as it has become a real eyesore, and is totally unacceptable.

“The owners have ignored attempts to encourage them to act, and we have been left with no other option than to bring the matter before the courts which resulted in fines and the award of costs.

“The team has also been working extremely hard in recent years to tackle a range of enforcement issues with the nearby Railway Hotel and to do as much as possible to safeguard its character.

“Barnet’s enforcement team is the most active in the country and I hope this prosecution sends out the very clear message that we will not hesitate to take action against landowners and developers who act unlawfully.”