AN ALVECHURCH woman who advertised her stables, which were built without planning permission, as a sports facility on Gumtree has been fined £160,000.

Tracie Carter owns land at Aqueduct Lane, Alvechurch and previously applied for planning permission in 2004 to build six stables.

The application was refused as it was considered ‘inappropriate development in the green belt’.

However, Carter went on to develop the land not only into stables but also set up a mobile home with decking for residential use, a hay store, fencing and gates, manege and vehicle access.

A letterbox and sign displaying the name “Aqueduct Stables” appeared and the site was advertised on Gum Tree as a sports facility.

Bromsgrove District Council say it was evident from site visits that Carter had moved into the mobile home and was renting out the stables and equine facilities to a third party.

Bromsgrove Advertiser: Tracie also set up a manege. Tracie also set up a manege. (Image: Bromsgrove District Council.)

She was issued with a planning enforcement notice in 2015 which she ignored and further developed the land with the addition of another larger mobile home.

The 51-year-old pleaded not guilty to the planning breach at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday, August 4 last year.

She failed to appear for her trial on Tuesday, November 23 last year and was found guilty in her absence.

The court then issued a warrant for her arrest.

Carter failed to show up for her sentencing on November 7 at Kidderminster Magistrates Court but was fined £160,000 and ordered to pay £7,528 in costs and a £170 victim surcharge.

When giving punishment, the district judge was required to have regard to any financial benefit which had accrued or could likely have accrued because of the unlawful development.

Following the sentencing, Cllr Philip Thomas, whose portfolio covers planning and regeneration, said: “This final outcome demonstrates that Bromsgrove District Council takes planning breaches seriously.”