A British construction worker who faced penalties for contaminating rivers and cutting down a 176-year-old redwood tree has declared bankruptcy, resulting in an incomplete housing development left unfinished.

Fiorenzo Sauro, who leads Enzo's Homes Ltd, garnered attention in 2019 when he was penalized with a fine of £100,000. cutting down approximately 70 protected trees -- which included one of Britain's earliest giant redwoods -- in Swansea .

He faced a fine of £20,000 last year when it was determined that his firm based in Wales had caused pollution from sediment discharge into a tributary of the River Llwyd while working in the southern Welsh town of Cwmbran, located within the county borough of Torfaen.

Now, the trading firm’s business has gone into collapse, leading to the appointment of liquidators—leaving the 29 residences at the White Cliffs Court project in Dover, Kent, incomplete.

Incomplete building projects on the safeguarded National Landscape area have resulted in a significant "chalk scar" that local officials refer to as "absolutely appalling." This might be one of the few sites visible even from the moon.

Houses at the Kent Downs location on the hillside continue to be promoted on Enzo's Homes' website, with prices starting from £300,000 for a three-bedroom property up to £550,000 for a five-bedroom one. The webpage further states: "Every house comes with a ten-year structural defect warranty ensuring complete peace of mind."

Last year, Dover District Council (DDC) issued an enforcement notice to the developer over a planning breach, ordering it to reinstate the land to its previous levels and cover it with topsoil.

However, this notification has since been challenged — and it will now fall upon the planning inspectorate to determine the next steps "considering the status of Enzo's Homes," according to a statement from a DDC representative. It remains unclear whether any of these properties have already been purchased.

Enzo's Homes, operating for 13 years, has recently found itself embroiled in scandal.

In 2019, it came to light that their leader Sauro had cut down a 176-year-old redwood tree, deliberately violating its protected status. , as it was adjacent to land he planned to convert into a housing estate.

It was one of 72 safeguarded trees that were cut down following his orders in 2018, and he was convicted a year thereafter. penalized £100,000, a reduction from the initial £300,000 fine imposed following Sauro’s appeal. .

Judge Neale Thomas stated back then that the developer’s claims of innocence seemed “empty,” further noting, “I found him to be an unconvincing witness altogether,” and, “Many parts of his testimony lacked credibility.”

The massive redwood, believed to be among Britain's earliest specimens, was planted at the Penllergare country estate near Swansea in 1842. increased to a height of 90 feet with a circumference of 16 feet It included 14 acres of land sold by the city council for developmental purposes.

In the previous year, he faced yet another penalty due to contamination of a tributary of the River Llwyd in southern Wales with sediment from December 2022 through March 2023. This pollution has adverse effects on fish and various aquatic insects as it blocks their gills and diminishes sunlight within the water.

The water contamination, resulting from runoff containing sediment at an Enzo's Homes construction site, led to the company being penalized with a fine of £20,000.

The organization was additionally required to pay a £2,000 victim surcharge along with £7,389.42 in expenses to Natural Resources Wales (NRW). This became necessary as the governmental entity needed to dispatch staff members multiple times to the location.

Now, Sauro's Enzo's Homes has gone into collapse, and liquidators have been brought in. Labour ward councillor Michael Nee expressed his deep concerns regarding the future of the project as the construction site at White Cliffs Court on Folkestone Road was sealed off without completion.

The representative for the Maxton ward, where the location is situated, stated: "It might be locals who get affected."

It might result in significant financial impact for contractors or those who submitted offers on the properties, potentially forcing them to cover the costs.

'Everything appears uncertain at this point. The area might turn into a ghost town if the location is allowed to deteriorate and become abandoned.'

A fresh developer might step in to complete the project, yet they may need to demolish everything and start over again. This would not bode well for the inhabitants who would endure an additional couple of years of disruption.

People living in the Maxton region, located west of Dover, have turned to social media platforms to voice their worries—especially about the extensive area of bare chalk revealed by the unfinished building project.

One commented: 'Anyone who tackles the site currently needs to organize a huge amount of unstable chalk.'

The perspective from my home reveals just how extensive the chalk deposit is – it shouldn’t have been permitted to be so profound.

Another comment was added: 'Great, this means it will take even longer to finish.'

As stated on the Enzo's Homes website, this project entails 'a series of 29 newly constructed residences situated along the iconic White Cliffs of Dover': 'Stepping into one of these Enzo’s properties will instantly reveal superior craftsmanship and materials that surpass those commonly found in standard new constructions.'

However, progress at White Cliffs Court has encountered numerous issues.

In August, DDC imposed an immediate two-month halt, effective from August 25 until October 18, on certain engineering work at the site.

As the development site is located within a specified National Landscape, the council expressed worries that the construction activities might damage local wildlife and detract from the region's aesthetic appeal.

In November, DDC served an enforcement notice regarding the development. According to a spokesperson, the deposition of chalk constituted an 'illegal activity,' leading to an 'inappropriate transformation of both the location and its surrounding environment.'

The designated area caught the attention of hikers from considerable distances — such as from Dover's Western Heights, a former fortification now converted into a nature reserve roughly three miles distant — starting sometime during the summertime of 2023.

Kevin Mills, the council leader from the Labour Party, referred to the area as having a 'terrible chalk scar' due to the incomplete building project, stating that it might be 'the one place visible from the moon.'

DDC's enforcement notice has been challenged, leaving the ultimate decision to be made by the planning inspectorate.

A representative from DDC stated: "According to the council's information, the appeal is continuing as planned—it will ultimately be up to the planning inspectorate to decide considering the current situation with Enzo's Homes."

On February 27, Stephen Goderski and Oliver Collinge from PFK Littlejohn Advisory were named as joint liquidators.

Mr. Goderski stated: "Enzo's Homes operated for almost 13 years before it was liquidated. We will be reaching out to all pertinent parties to ensure we maximize returns for creditors."

Enzo's Homes was reached out to for commentary.

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