Work at the site began without planning permission

S&A Property's retrospective application to build at Brierely Court was rejected by Herefordshire Council.

The firm appealed and a public planning inquiry began. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) dismissed the appeal on Friday.

S&A has 93 days to comply. The council said it expected the company to do so.

No one from S&A Property was available for comment on Friday afternoon.

The company had already brought hundreds of caravans onto the site and started constructing the amenities block for its workers, complete with an internet caf� and swimming pool, when the original application was considered by Herefordshire Council in May 2004.

'Expected to comply'

It was refused and the company was ordered to remove the amenity development.

An injunction obtained by the council preventing any further work was also upheld by the High Court.

In June, S&A Property's director Stanley John Davies was fined �65,000 for breaching that order.

A public planning inquiry into the original application opened in June and decided on Friday that planning permission should not be granted.

Councillor Roger Phillips, leader of Herefordshire Council, said the findings vindicated its position.

"This sends out a clear message that blatant breaches of planning regulations will not be tolerated," he said.