The applicant was given approval to build a single-storey garage beside his house in Highgate, Birmingham but planning chiefs were stunned when they saw the finished building
A man who built a large house on his driveway without permission from the council has knocked it down after a planning row.
Mr M Singh was given approval to build a single-storey garage beside his house in Highgate, Birmingham, in 2019, but during a visit in 2022 found a “substantially larger” dwelling had been built on the site. Mr Singh was supposed to make a garage 5.3m by 4.6m, but the building built was 8.7m by 4.7m and taller than it was supposed to, The family fought to keep it but eventually had to tear it down, the Daily Record reported.
One neighbour said: “It looks like they have finally complied with the order and thank goodness because it was an eyesore. I was amazed they got away with it, so it’s nice to see that common sense has now prevailed.”
“They will be kicking themselves though, it must have cost them a few bob to throw that up in the first place and now having to pay to pull it mostly down.”
Another neighbour said: “We just assumed they had permission to do that in the first place. You’re never happy to see extensions or new-builds going up blocking out sunlight or replacing gardens and trees but it’s just what people do.”
“If it was only given permission to be a garage I cannot see how they thought they would ever get away with it. It’s clearly a house.”
Planning Inspector Thomas Shields visited the property in March 2022. In his report, he wrote: “The appellant’s case is the building already benefits from planning permission granted by the council in 2019. He argues although there are differences… they are minor differences.
“The approved plans for the garage show a single storey detached garage with a footprint of 5.3m x 4.6m and a height of 3.6m. In comparison with the approved garage the appeal building has a footprint of approximately 8.7m x 4.7m and a height of 5.3m Consequently, it is substantially larger than the approved building. It is not a minor difference.”
“There are some other differences. Instead of single-storey, the appeal building is 1.5 storey and has two rooms in the roof, facilitated by an almost full-width box dormer. Instead of a garage door, there is a pedestrian door into the front room and a tripartite bow window.”
The Singh family were instructed to “demolish the entire unauthorised detached structure and remove all demolished building materials and rubble from the premises.”
A representative for Birmingham City Council stated: “The council is actively pursuing compliance with the Enforcement Notice. It is a live case so there’s nothing more we can say at this stage.”
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