A construction firm which failed to consider neighbours while working on a basement development has been fined.

London Projects Limited (LPL) failed to listen to the rules laid out for them by Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP)when planning permission was granted for work at the address in Bedford Gardens, Holland Park, by Kensington and Chelsea Council .

As a result it was issued a Temporary Stop Notice, but was later seen still breaching guidlines.

The firm, which admitted to two charges at Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court on November 24, was fined £2,000 and also told to pay council costs of £2,180.

The CTMP is designed to prevent construction traffic having an unreasonable impact on neighbours.

Some of its requirements include:

  • Only one vehicle served the site at a time
  • Drivers call the site manager in advance to ensure the site is ready to accommodate the vehicle
  • Drivers follow a prescribed route to and from the site
  • Vehicles are parked immediately outside the site
  • Materials delivered are immediately brought onto the site

After obtaining evidence that the CTMP was being breached a Temporary Stop Notice was served on the site on the February 10. This meant if any breaches of the CTMP were witnessed over the next 28 days the parties served with the notice would be criminally liable.

But the court heard the Royal borough’s Planning Enforcement Team collected evidence of breaches occurring despite warning LPL of the consequences of failing to comply.

On February 26 it spotted a construction vehicle enter the street from the wrong direction, two construction vehicles deliver materials to the site at the same time whilst a third vehicle caused disruption by circling the neighbourhood and parking outside other properties.

On March 5 a construction vehicle was seen failing to park immediately outside the site, and materials were left on the highway.

In mitigation, the court heard LPL had subcontracted the basement works and that it had warned the subcontractors on many occasions both verbally and in writing. LPL also asserted that it had not financially benefited, and lost £12,000 in legal fees in trying to secure compliance through their subcontractors.

It was fined £1,000 for each of the two offences it admitted to, ordered to pay costs, and also a £100 victim surcharge.

Cllr Timothy Coleridge, head of planning policy at the council said: “The Royal Borough is one of the most densely populated areas in the country and construction traffic deriving from basement development can have a huge impact on our residents.

“I suspect that this company will be more careful in subcontracting work in the future and I would urge all developers to comply rigidly with their traffic management plans or prepare to meet our planning enforcement team in court.”