The Scrapyard that wasn't

THE SCRAPYARD THAT WASN'T

Article taken from Winsford Chronicle dated 12th October 1963

A second hand car dealer who appeared at Northwich Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, accused a Northwich Rural Council official of ‘snooping’ around his home.

Defendant, Alfred E George of Davenham Lodge, Church Street Davenham, who alleged that the official climbed on the bonnet of his car to climb over a 10 ft high wall to ‘spy’ pleaded “Not Guilty” to failing to comply with an enforcement notice issued by the Council.

The Rural Council Clerk, Mr W F Crawford said planning permission was required for any change of land usage. The Defendant used the land which was previously used as gardens, to store cars. The Council wrote asking him to stop storing cars on the land but received no reply.

The Council then made an enforcement order giving him a month in order to appeal against the order said Mr Crawford. He did not appeal.

EXAMINED PREMISES

John Kinsey, chief planning assistant of the Rural Council said that after the notice became operative he examined the premises and found that five vans, five cars and a horsebox were on the  land.

George told the Court “If the Council had asked me properly I would have explained the position to them, But instead an official stood on the bonnet of a car looking over my 10 ft wall. How would you like to be spied upon? Why should people dictate to me on my own land?”

George said he had been forced to repossess 30 cars for a hire-purchase company. As he had nowhere to store them, he put them on the drive. When the enforcement order was served he gave them away and they cost £1000.

Defendant also said that the cars parked in the drive after the enforcement notice had been served were private vehicles owned by himself, his family and people living in nearby flats, The horse box was used to carry his hunters about, he said.

The Bench found the case proved and imposed a fine of £2.

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