A pensioner threatened with a £1,000 fine for keeping cars destined for Ukraine on his land says he would rather go to jail than pay up.
William Lewis, 80, is allowing his farmland outside Dorking in Surrey to be used as a temporary car park for vehicles which will provide aid to the war-torn country.
He holds as many as 50 cars at once, which are used to transport soldiers to the front line, bring injured servicemen and women back, or transport medical professionals between hospitals.
However Mr Lewis’ efforts have fallen foul of Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) – who have warned that by keeping cars on his property he is breaking planning permission guidelines.
But a defiant Mr Lewis, who has been to Ukraine seven times since the war with Russia broke out, said earlier this week: ‘If they issue a fine, I won’t be paying it. I’d go to jail for a few days and that will expose them.’
William Lewis, 80, has said he would rather go to jail for storing cars destined to help the Ukrainian war effort on his land than pay a £1,000 fine he has been threatened with. He is pictured loading generators into a van to be sent to Ukraine
Mr Lewis holds as many as 50 cars at once on his farmland in Dorking, Surrey, which are used to transport soldiers to the front line, bring injured servicemen and women back, or transport medical professionals between hospitals
However, Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) say this material change in use of the land breaks planning permission guidelines, meaning he could face a fine
The council says it is in dialogue with the father-of-five and has asked him to engage – but if he abstains he could be fined £1,000.
Since February 2022, Mr Lewis has taken humanitarian aid and delivered several ambulances, as well as raised funds to buy 180 generators for the country.
He offered up his farmland after the Mayor of London and the charity British Ukrainian Aid (BUA) signed an agreement allowing owners of non-ULEZ compliant vehicles to donate their cars to humanitarian efforts earlier this year.
Older vehicles that do not meet London’s ULEZ rules can be scrapped in return for a £2,000 grant.
Owners can then tick a box on the scrappage form giving permission for their vehicles to be donated to Ukraine.
Mr Lewis is letting BUA use his field to store vehicles taken in through the scheme.
However, MVDC said it acted following several complaints from locals about an ‘excessive number of cars’ being stored on Mr Lewis’ land.
The council says Mr Lewis needs planning permission and could face a £1,000 fine if he does not engage with officers over his alleged breach.
In response, Mr Lewis said he wanted help with the war effort – and that he ‘doesn’t like bullies’.
Describing the council’s behaviour as ‘outrageous and unsympathetic’, he added: ‘Nobody is inconvenienced, they’re not an eyesore.
‘I haven’t been allowed to express details of the situation. I would enter into dialogue but they’ve been so high handed.’
Mr Lewis offered up his farmland after the Mayor of London and British Ukrainian Aid (BUA) agreed to let owners of non-ULEZ compliant vehicles donate their cars to humanitarian efforts earlier this year
However, MVDC said it acted following several complaints from locals about an ‘excessive number of cars’ being stored on Mr Lewis’ land
Mr Lewis described the council’s behaviour as ‘outrageous and unsympathetic’, adding they were being ‘high handed’ about the affair
Councillor Margaret Cooksey, cabinet member for planning at MVDC, said: ‘Following several complaints from local residents about an excessive number of cars being stored in a field in Coldharbour, Dorking, officers from MVDC investigated and found that the land is part of a farm, with 50 to 55 cars stored there.
‘Given that the land is designated for agricultural use and lies within an Area of Great Landscape Value, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Metropolitan Green Belt, this storage represents a material change in land use. As such, planning permission is required.
‘The landowner was approached and asked to complete a Planning Contravention Notice (PCN) under Section 171C of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.’
A PCN allows the local planning authority to request information for enforcement purposes about any operations, uses, or activities on the land and invites the recipient to work with the planning authority to address any suspected breaches of planning control.
Older vehicles that do not meet ULEZ rules can be scrapped in return for a £2,000 grant. Owners can then tick a box on the scrappage form giving permission for their vehicles to be donated to Ukraine
Since February 2022, Mr Lewis has taken humanitarian aid and delivered several ambulances, as well as raised funds to buy 180 generators (seen) for the country
‘Failure to provide the requested notice may result in a £1,000 fine,’ Ms Cooksey continued.
‘The landowner responded to MVDC, explaining that the vehicles are being stored temporarily before shipment to Ukraine for charitable purposes and that this use will cease by the end of August 2024.
‘He was further advised that if he wishes MVDC to consider whether it is acceptable to continue using the land for vehicle storage after 31 August, 2024, he should make a planning application.
‘If a valid planning application is not submitted, and vehicles remain on the land after 31 August, 2024, MVDC would have to consider whether to take formal planning enforcement action.’
