Waste at Thames Road

What a waste of money! Property investment company issued with a confiscation order of over £60k

A Hornchurch property investment business has been found guilty in court for ignoring a Barking and Dagenham Council Enforcement Notice and failing to clear waste from its land.

Goldshield Property Investments Ltd took over as freeholder of 19 Thames Road, Barking in 2014 and was granted permission to change the use of the warehouse to a waste processing and recycling facility.

Goldshield leased the land out to various companies over the years, but by 2017, the council had received several complaints regarding pollution and waste processing taking place outside the buildings at the site.

In September 2017, Enforcement Notices were served on all relevant parties including the freeholder that required all waste processing to stop and ensure the removal of all waste from the site.

Despite an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate, the Notice was upheld.

In August 2019, it came to light that a vast amount of waste remained on the site. Further investigation showed that the company leasing the site had ceased trading, however Goldshield Property Investments remained the freeholder and had not taken the necessary steps to comply with the Enforcement Notice.

On 11 January 2022, the company secretary of Goldshield Property Investments, Bakshi Singh appeared in court and pleaded guilty at Barkingside Magistrates Court.

Earlier this month, the case was committed to Snaresbrook Crown Court, and on Friday 8 December, Goldshield Property Investments was fined £10,000, ordered to pay costs of £1,500 to Barking and Dagenham Council and a Victim Surcharge of £170. Additionally, a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act was made in the sum of £62,648.

Councillor Syed Ghani, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety said: “This is a prime example of a business thinking they can do what they want and not play by the rules.

“Due to them not taking notice of our enforcement warning, they now have a huge amount of money to pay out and this shows that no matter how long it takes, we will take action and where necessary prosecute.”