Somerset caravan park owner John Holland was sentenced on 26 November 2025 to pay £116,263 for disturbing a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Long Load. Holland, who owned the 1.2‑hectare grassland within the Wet Moor SSSI, converted it into a permanent commercial caravan park, placing over 90 caravans and 40 vehicles, laying 300 m of tarmac and dumping household and commercial waste. He had applied five times for planning permission between 2011 and 2018, all of which were refused. The SSSI, also a Special Protection Area and Ramsar site, is an important breeding ground for wading birds such as curlew and black‑tailed godwit. Natural England found Holland had accrued more than £1 million in illicit proceeds and ordered the payment. The court also mandated restoration of the site to semi‑natural grassland by 23 January 2026, with non‑compliance subject to further fines.
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https://www.gov.uk/government/news/somerset-caravan-park-owner-to-pay-116263-for-disturbing-sssi
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