An Essex developer has been fined £40,000 and its director given a 12-month community order after failing to fix serious fire safety breaches at a seafront apartment block in Felixstowe, Suffolk.
Dragon Wood Homes Ltd was served an enforcement notice in relation to Cliff House in Chevalier Road, a former hotel converted into luxury residential apartments in 2017.
In 2018, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) officers identified “multiple serious deficiencies”, including inadequate fire compartmentation, posing a risk of rapid fire spread throughout the building.
Despite repeated opportunities to rectify the issues, the developer failed to undertake the necessary work, said Suffolk County Council. SFRS took legal action against Dragon Wood Homes Ltd and its director, Paul Whyman.
Both were sentenced on 25 July after pleading guilty at a hearing in Ipswich Crown Court on 5 February 2025.
‘A clear message’
In addition to the company fine and Whyman’s community order to complete 180 hours of unpaid work, both he and Dragon Wood Homes were also ordered to pay £15,000 each in legal costs within 12 months.
The enforcement notice remains in force and fire safety deficiencies continue to affect the premises, which still cannot safely adopt a ‘stay put’ evacuation strategy.
Councillor Steve Wiles, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for public health and public protection, said: “This outcome sends a clear message: we will not tolerate developers or property owners who ignore their legal responsibilities and put people’s lives at risk.
“Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service has acted with patience and professionalism throughout this lengthy process, always with the safety of residents at the heart of their actions. Everyone deserves to live in a safe home. While we are pleased that justice has been served, it is deeply regrettable that it took this level of enforcement to reach a resolution.”
The fact that the enforcement order remains in force suggests that the residents are still at risk and will have difficulty selling their properties. Meanwhile, Mr Whyman continues as a property developer. I’m not sure what the Councillor’s clear message is; nothing has been resolved other than a legal process. The building is still sub-standard.