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Search the Public Notice PortalA Somerset caravan park owner has been fined more than £116,000 after being convicted of disturbing land used as a breeding ground for birds and waterfowl.
John Holland, 59, of Tapmoor Road, Moorlinch (between Bridgwater and Street), appeared before Taunton Crown Court on Wednesday (November 26) for sentencing after pleading guilty to two offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 at earlier hearings.
Natural England brought the prosecution after a four-year investigation into Holland’s activities, which evidenced that he created a permanent caravan park on 1.2 hectares (nearly three acres) of grassland within the Wet Moor site of special scientific interest (SSSI) at Long Load, near Langport.
The court heard that, between March 1, 2018 and April 14, 2022, Holland "crammed" more than 90 caravans and 40 vehicles onto the two fields which comprised the La Lade Caravan Park.
During this time he laid 300 metres of Tarmac roads, as well as dumping household and commercial waste on the site.
Holland and his family unsuccessfully applied five times between 2011 and 2018 for planning consent to develop the site into a permanent caravan park, and these refusals were subsequently upheld by the Planning Inspectorate.
The SSSI was designated in 1985 and forms part of the extensive marsh grasslands ditch systems which make up the Somerset Levels and Moors - which is itself protected under the international Ramsar Convention.
The site provides nationally important breeding habitat for threatened populations of wading birds, such as curlew and black-tailed godwit, and supports internationally important populations of red-listed bird species including the endangered Bewick’s swan, lapwing and pochard, as well as being home to more than three per cent of the global population of Eurasian teal.
Natural England concluded the works carried out by Holland had resulted in "habitat loss, displacement and long-term disturbance" to these bird species, and charged Holland with two offences in March 2023.
Holland was previously convicted in September 2023 of physically threatening and abusing Natural England officers who visited the site to investigate the initial allegations in 2021.
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After pleading guilty to these most recent allegations, Holland claimed to be bankrupt.
However, Natural England commenced proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and instructed financial investigators - who found Holland had accrued more than £1m in "unexplained cash and assets", which arose from his unlawful operation of the caravan park.
In light of this investigation, the court ordered Holland to pay Natural England £116,263 within three months - an amount limited by his ongoing bankruptcy proceedings.
The court also ordered Holland restore the site to its former condition by January 23, 2026, removing all caravans and associated infrastructure and creating and maintaining habitat for breeding and wintering birds.
If Holland does not comply, he faces a further unlimited fine plus an additional £100 fine for each day the order is not complied with.
In sentencing Holland, His Honour Judge Richard Shepherd said: "You had numerous opportunities to rectify the damage caused and carried on regardless, which amplified the effects on the site’s fauna and flora.
"This was a deliberate and persistent set of offending which showed a flagrant disregard of the law."
Following the hearing, Natural England national delivery director Matt Heard said: "We welcome the court’s judgement, which is the result of four years of dedicated investigation and demonstrates our clear commitment to protecting SSSIs.
"Holland’s behaviour has shown blatant contempt for this intentionally important conservation site and the rare and threatened species that depend upon it.
"His actions were completed in full knowledge of the impact they would have, yet he chose to repeatedly disregard our advice and prioritise achieving significant illicit financial gain over complying with his legal obligations to protect the site."
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