“Land owner fined for failing to maintain a County Wildlife Site in the Lake District

Richard Whitton a farmer from Allithwaite, Grange-over-Sands was yesterday (31/03/14) fined by Magistrates in Kendal for failing to comply with a land ‘Remediation Notice’, issued under the Environmental Impact Agriculture Regulations 2006, for the Miller Beck County Wildlife Site near Newby Bridge.

Miller Beck is one of the most important Wildlife Sites in Cumbria and is noted for lowland grasslands that have not been subject to agricultural improvement. Such sites are now exceptionally rare in Cumbria and nationally.

Richard Whitton installed a number of underground pipes on the land which drained water into Miller Beck. Natural England was alerted and when staff visited the site they discovered the pipes. He was served a legal notice to remove them but failed to do so.

He pleaded guilty for failing to comply with the terms of the ‘Remediation Notice’.

Magistrates fined him £2,500 and ordered him to pay £10,000 costs and £250 victim surcharge.”

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SOURCE: Natural England