Man Fined for Mobile Home Site Safety Failure

Nicholas Newman, the licence holder and company director for T/A Donaldson & Newman Limited, who runs Quedgeley Court Park mobile home site, was ordered to pay £4,617 after pleading guilty to multiple charges of breaching Compliance Notice conditions.

The Compliance Notice was served after council officers found a number of breaches in the site licence conditions.

The 57-year-old of Moorhouse Lane, Hallen, Bristol, was issued with an enforcement notice after council officers visited the mobile homes park for the over 55’s after receiving a number of complaints.

Cheltenham Magistrates Court heard how the city council carried out a lengthy investigation into the site, which has around 80 residents, and uncovered a number of health and safety failures.

They included not maintaining pathways and allowing hedges and greenery to overgrow, which could be fire hazards, as well as poor electrical safety standards.

Newman also allowed some of the site’s buildings to fall into disrepair and failed to remove the older dilapidated homes.

An enforcement notice was issued by the council in March 2021 which Newman appealed but his appeal was dismissed. He was given until January 2022 to complete the works but failed to meet the deadline despite a number of visits by officers.

The court heard that the compliance works have now been carried out but noted that it had taken too long for them to be dealt with.

Newman was fined £448 with a Victim Surcharge of £45 and costs of £4,124.

Cllr Stephanie Chambers, cabinet member for Planning and Housing Strategy at Gloucester City Council, said: “It’s simply not acceptable that the residents were exposed to health and safety issues for such a long period of time. Licences help to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of residents and it is essential that site licence holders take their responsibilities seriously. Enforcement is the very last option we want to take and we will always try to work with licence holders first before taking action. But we have to ensure that residents live in safe homes, particularly those who may be vulnerable.”