A COUNCIL is hailing its success in managing to become the first authority to secure a scrap metal site closure order.

Hart District Council has been successful in its first application for a site closure order under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, making it the first council to do so in the country.

The council has been together with several partner agencies, including Hampshire Constabulary, Hampshire County Council and Natural England, seeking to resolve matters at a scrap metal dealer and motor salvage business located in Totters Lane, Hartley Wintney.

The district council argued the business was carrying out unlicensed dismantling of vehicles which encroached onto the public highway and an adjacent Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Daryl Phillips, joint chief executive at Hart District Council, said: “This has been a long-running case where a business has been causing blight to the area, impacting local residents and destroying a SSSI.

“Our officers have been working hard with partner agencies to gain evidence, through a range of site visits in order to apply for a site closure order.”

The order was granted at Basingstoke Magistrates Court on March 14 following a failure to comply with a closure notice issued by the council’s environmental health team in April 2017.

Patricia Hughes, joint chief executive at Hart District Council, added: “The granted order is one of the first to be issued anywhere in the country.

“The final terms of the order are still to be agreed due to the ground breaking nature of the case.

“All scrap metal dealer business activity will be banned from the site and strict measures be proposed to help remove the extensive area of damaged and scrap commercial vehicles.

“Failure to comply may result in criminal enforcement and loss of held payment to the court.”

Hart District Council’s environmental health team is responsible for scrap metal dealer licensing and take action against unlicensed businesses.

For more information about the Scrap Metal Dealers Act and scrap metal licensing in the Hart area, go to hart.gov.uk/scrap-metal.