Crown Court orders third party to contribute to costs of planning prosecution

A Crown Court has ordered a third party to contribute to the costs of a successful prosecution by a local planning authority under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, linked to a Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 application.

According to Francis Taylor Building, the Court in Ipswich found that the non-defendant layperson had exhibited "serious misconduct" at various stages during the proceedings in upholding an application made pursuant to section 19B of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 and Part 76 CPR 2014.

The third party was ordered to pay a contribution of £14,000.

“The order is considered to be the very first obtained within England and Wales, specifically in a planning enforcement context,” FTB said.

Juan Lopez from the set represented the local planning authority that applied for a third party costs order.