WHAT HAPPENED NEXT...

This small triangle of land had been taken from its legal owner and the mature copse of trees, a visual outlook enjoyed for several decades was now completely enclosed by a 2.4 metre steel palisade fencing. Fencing over the legal height limit which should have had planning permission to be there but had been erected without consent.

It was only a matter of time before Rayden Engineering destroyed this mature vegetation, habitat to a variety of established species including bats supposedly protected under wildlife legislation.

Despite Erewash Borough Council being informed via Recorded Delivery letter on the 18th of September 2006 that Rayden Engineering WOULD destroy this habitat and being reminded of their statutory responsibilities concerning wildlife legislation and the need for a Habitats Regulations Licence BEFORE clearance took place, the letter remained unacknowledged.

On the 8th of November 2006, Rayden Engineering destroyed all the mature vegetation on this adversely possessed land and laid a compacted hard core standing with no drainage in its place. All without prior planning consent and on land belonging to someone else. This turned a mature visual outlook into a "disused brown-field site of no amenity value" described in the eventually forced planning application and subsequent Appeal.

The pre development view from the windows and gardens of 15 Wentworth Street, Ilkeston Junction, properties.

The unauthorised post development view from the rear windows and gardens of 15 properties.

”The appearance of the site as now cleared, cannot be regarded as unacceptable...It replaces the previously un-used overgrown nature of the site which had become very damaging to amenity in its own right.”

                  RAYDEN ENGINEERING                           

Rayden Engineering destroying the mature vegetation and laying a hard core base with no drainage on previously porous Flood Zone 3 land.

When challenged, Rayden Engineering lied to conceal their own actions by accusing Alfred McAlpine plc, contractors, employed by Derbyshire County Council who had just started construction of the adjacent Ilkeston bypass, of being responsible for the destruction.

Alfred McAlpine conducted an investigation into these allegations where it transpired that Rayden Engineering had deliberately misled Erewash Borough Council to conceal culpability for their own actions by attempting to blame a reputable company for the damage they had been responsible for.