A MAN is furious after he was ordered to knock down an £8,000 extension after a 12-year planning battle, despite zero opposition from neighbours.
Mohammed Azhar, 57, added the 13ft extension to his terraced home in Bradford, West Yorkshire, back in 2011.
3
3
3
The extra space was intended for his parents to use as a downstairs bathroom facility.
But a year later, council bosses ordered the dad-of-two to knock down the stone structure after refusing his planning application.
Mohammed refused to yield, and after more than a decade of digging his heels, Bradford Council took enforcement action in 2022.
The homeowner was taken to court and fined after being charged with failing to comply with an enforcement notice.
read more in money
He told MailOnline: “My neighbours don’t mind, so what’s the problem?’
“There was a garage here and we turned it into a toilet and shower room. It was to help my parents who had to live with us because of their health.
“They couldn’t get up the stairs to use the toilet and I just wanted to look after them.
“It’s not like I’ve built a massive extension to benefit me, or to make money out of. It was just to help my family.
Most read in Money
“I didn’t go to the council and beg them for help, I just got on with it and sorted it out myself.
“I was just trying to do the right thing for my family.”
Our neighbour built an entire HOME on his driveway with no permission – and got to keep it after crafty change
Bradford Council refused the planning consent in 2011 – arguing the shower room was added onto an existing 9.8ft kitchen extension.
The council added that Mohammed’s build had an “overbearing impact” on his neighbours, none of which have said a word about the extension according to the property owner.
He appealed the decision but a government inspector upheld the refusal.
“They kept quiet for years. Once the councillors told me ‘it’s permitted development, you don’t need planning permission,'” Mohammed said of councillors.
“They came out and looked at it for themselves and said not to worry. None of the neighbours have ever complained.
“If you look around here there are extensions everywhere and people have not got permission.
“It looks nice – it suits the existing house. It’s not like I’ve used cheap bricks. I’ve got pride in it because I did a good job.
“It’s not too high and it doesn’t go out all the way to the boundary. I don’t see what the problem is.”
After his parents died, Mohammed hoped to retain the extension to help with his own mobility issues, claiming that he struggles to walk upstairs to use the toilet
Mohammed pleaded guilty at Bradford magistrates’ court and was fined £200, and ordered to pay a further £800 to the council.
Jabran Hussain, defending, told the court: ‘His parents have since passed away, and he has been hit with problems of his own that have given him serious mobility issues.
“He now understands the only way forward is to comply with the enforcement notice.
“Within two months this extension will be demolished at great expense. A new application will then be submitted to build something the council will be happy with.
“He lives a law abiding life, this was something he did for his parents.’
Speaking after the court decision, Mr Azhar added: ‘I don’t know what I can do now.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
“They will just keep coming back and coming back. It’s going to take a lot of effort to take it down.”
The Sun Online has contacted Bradford Council for comment.
How to appeal and win if your home extension is rejected
EXTENSIONS are a great way to improve your home and save money – as building out is often cheaper than moving.
cheaper than moving.
But any building works can quickly create problems with your neighbours if you don’t stick to the rules.
Andrew Cann, director of Planning Direct, a planning consultancy based in the East of England, said there are ways to appeal if your initial application for an extension is rejected.
Here’s what you need to know:
How do you actually appeal?
In order to appeal, you’ll need to prepare a Statement of Case.
This is a document setting out why you believe the extension should be granted in planning policy terms – an expert can help you with this, but they will charge.
This is sent along with an appeal form to the Planning Inspectorate.
This is a government body independent of your local council, which will check whether the planning authority which refused you was correct to do so.
There is normally no fee to submit a planning appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.
The main cost is the fee you’ll need to give a consultant or solicitor to prepare and manage it on your behalf – the amount will depend on the case.
How do I win my appeal?
The truth is, there is no guarantee to winning your appeal – and you should be wary of any solicitor or consultant that promises you a victory.
“Any one consultant who says an appeal will definitely be won should be avoided” said Andrew.
That said, there are some tips that can help you on your way to a win.
“Take a look around – if other nearby homeowners have made similar changes, the chances are you will win,” said Andrew.
Another thing to look out for is that your application may have been refused on a technicality or just because of a missing detail.
“Sometimes it is worth re-applying with a modified version if the council only wants small changes. A re-application is free within a year of the first refusal,” said Andrew.
But if an appeal is mishandled and refused this can “blight” the property and you will not get permission in future.
There are some challenges when you are looking to appeal.
You must establish that the extension complies with local planning policy and importantly does not harm others.
