A developer has been fined £8,500 by magistrates for burying waste on a beach and removing shingle for a new car park, damaging sea defences.

Jones Homes' multi-million pound development in Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne, hit a snag last August when the company realised there was a shortfall in materials for its new flats' parking bays.

Eastbourne Magistrates heard on Wednesday that sub-contractors found an illegal solution on August 3.

They dug a hole in the beach off Pacific Drive in Sovereign Harbour, piling the shingle to the side.

They filled the hole with building waste from another development site in St Leonards before covering it with a layer of shingle.

They then removed the newly excavated shingle for use in the development.

Jones Homes pleaded guilty to two charges: knowingly causing construction and demolition waste to be deposited without the benefit of a waste management licence; and disturbing material maintained by the Environment Agency, shingle defences, without previous consent.

Five other charges in relation to damaging sea defences and vegetation were dropped.

Peter Bilbrough, prosecuting, said the Environment Agency accepted the waste was inert, but the site off Pacific Drive was not licensed to receive waste.

He said: "The waste was not as dangerous as it could have been but should not have been deposited in the sea defences."

Defence barrister Ghulam Hussain said the company stopped the excavation, removed the waste and returned the shingle as soon as they were made aware of the actions.

He said: "They used the same haulier they always use and they expected them to say if there was anything wrong. That wasn't the case. There were good intentions but clearly wrong."

Mr Hussain said other developers beside Jones homes had done the same in terms of the sea defences but were not prosecuted.

He added: "The implication was Jones Homes didn't realise you needed Environment Agency permission.

They have now employed a specialist to deal with waste management. You must look at this in context. The way the by laws are structured anyone walking across the beach interferes with the sea defences."

Magistrates fined Jones Homes £8,000 for depositing waste without a licence, £500 for disturbing the sea defence shingle and ordered they pay costs of £1,600.

A spokesman said: "Jones Homes Southern regrets the problem which has occurred."