A lodge owner has been ordered to pay over £2,000 after failing to comply with a council planning notice.

Marina McCarthy was due to appear in court after ignoring an enforcement notice issued by Wealden District Council but failed to show up.

In her absence, a hearing at Hastings Magistrates Court found she had failed to respond to the council over work carried out at Cart Lodge in Stonehurst Lane near Heathfield.

Councillor Ian Tysh of Alliance for Wealden and lead councillor for planning and environment, said: “As always, we will robustly pursue damaging breaches of planning control and this court case shows once again that we will take people to court where there has been a serious contravention of planning laws.

“I am pleased with the outcome here, not least as it shows what happens to those who ignore our enforcement officers who had legitimate grounds for asking questions about recent works here.”

Wealden District Council had sought information about work at the Cart Lodge site which they said contravened a previous planning enforcement notice.

Ms McCarthy failed to respond to the notice.

Magistrates found the matter proved and she was fined £1,000, ordered to pay a surcharge of £400 and costs of £564.