A property owner and a company were this week fined a total of £21,000 for demolishing a number of buildings after a Building Preservation Notice had been served.

Keith George Trotter, owner of the Former Market Yard, Main Street, Fivemiletown, pleaded guilty for allowing the demolition of the buildings at his property and was fined £15,000 at Dungannon Magistrates' Court.

The company which carried out the demolition work, McAloon Contracts Ltd, Moneygar Road, Trillick, Co Tyrone, pleaded guilty and was fined £6,000.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency served a Building Preservation Notice on the market yard on the 29 February 2008 which afforded temporary protection in a similar manner as if the buildings were listed.

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However, when a member of Planning Service returned on the 4 March 2008 to re-inspect the site, the buildings had been demolished.

The Planning Service served the Building Preservation Notice under Article 42 (A) of the Planning (NI) Order 1991 (as amended) and brought the prosecution under Article 44 of the same order.

The Building Preservation Notice was served by the Department for the purposes of Article 42 (A) of the 1991 Order, that is the courtyard is of special or historic interest and is in danger of demolition.

Also on building preservation, yesterday, it was revealed that NI Environment Minister Edwin Poots has said there will be no change to the listed buildings status given to some structures at the Maze prison site.

Last June, Mr Poots' predecessor Sammy Wilson asked officials to consider if he could revoke listed status of the Maze hospital and part of the H-blocks.

(BMcC/GK)