Planning fury as man, 80, says he'd rather do jail time than pay council fine
The pensioner says he would rather go to jail than pay the £1,000 parking fine.
A pensioner threatened with a £1,000 fine has said he would rather go to jail than pay council fine in planning row
William Lewis, 80, is allowing his farmland outside Dorking in Surrey to be used as a temporary parking area for vehicles destined for Ukraine.
The parking area which can hold 50 cars at one time is used for taking soldiers to the front line, bringing injured soldiers back, or transporting 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.
The council says it is in dialogue with the dad-of-five and has asked him to engage - but if he doesn't do so he could be fined.
READ MORE
Humiliation for Putin as Ukraine ‘sinks £275m Russian submarine' in huge strike [READ]
Rescue efforts for Ukrainian children slammed as ‘insufficient’ in Russia [LATEST]
Russia training ‘kidnapped’ Ukraine children to fight against their own country [REACTION]
Hitting back Mr Lewis said: “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", adding that he "doesn't like bullies".
Describing the council's behaviour as “outrageous and unsympathetic”, he continued: "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 has been to Ukraine seven times since the war with Russia broke out in 2022, taking humanitarian aid and delivering several ambulances, as well as raising funds to buy 180 generators for the country.
Don't miss...
Expert shares meaning behind popular road signs helping drivers avoid fines [LATEST]
Simple parking mistake lands drivers with £2,500 fine and points on licence [LATEST]
Drivers warned they could face £100 fine and three points for parking [LATEST]
‘Cowboy’ parking firms net £1.2m of YOUR cash in fines [LATEST]
Car park law change warning as drivers given £100 fine after 'grace period' [LATEST]
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.
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.
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.
