A concrete processing plant has been ordered to pay £46,000 for operating unlawfully after being prosecuted by Cherwell District Council.
Published: Friday, 6th June 2025
Cooper Mixer Hire Limited pleaded guilty to operating without an Environmental Permit, and was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, 23 May.
At the hearing, the company, trading as Cherwell Concrete, was fined £6,000 and agreed to pay £40,000 to cover costs and funds gained whilst operating without a permit between March 2022 and July 2024.
The council took enforcement action against the business following complaints from residents about dust and noise.
Councillor Rob Parkinson, Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities, said: “We take our duty to ensure that businesses are operating in a safe, responsible and legal manner seriously.
“Had Cherwell Concrete been operating with an Environmental Permit, this would have allowed us to control the dust and noise that affected nearby residents.
“This verdict highlights the importance that businesses in the district seek all permits and planning permission before operating. These regulations are in place to protect the public from environmental dangers, and it is vital for businesses to follow these for everyone’s safety and wellbeing.”
The plant, which traded out of Station Yard in Enslow, opened without planning permission and without applying for the correct permit under The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
The regulations are designed to protect the environment and human health by managing emissions to air, land and water, along with noise, vibration and odour from regulated facilities.
The council’s planning enforcement team took action following Cherwell Concrete’s unsuccessful attempts to comply with requirements and a rejected planning appeal. The business has now ceased its operations in the district.