A Ballynahinch man has been fined £1,200 at Downpatrick Magistrates' Court for unauthorised waste offences.

 Seamus Branniff (28) of Drumkeeragh Road, Ballynahinch pleaded guilty to unauthorised waste storage and disposal at lands he was responsible for at his family home on the Drumkeeragh Road.

His site had neither a waste management license nor an exemption to allow

waste to be kept there. He pleaded guilty on 5 September 2011 and has now been sentenced. 

Officers from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) visited the site on a number of occasions between January and September 2010. A large amount of controlled waste was being kept there in two areas, including a large amount of clay with skip type waste and other building waste behind sheds which included construction and demolition wastes, plastic, metal and wood. Mr Branniff admitted that this waste came from his building business, Forestside Developments. 

The land where the waste was kept is within the Mournes Area of Natural Beauty, an area designated for its unique landscape character. Calculations taken suggested there was approximately 2,100 tonnes of controlled waste present.