'Monster mansion' built without permission to be torn down as neighbours rejoice
A 'monster mansion' built without permission by a man dubbed a 'nightmare neighbour' is set to be knocked down.
Las year Gurwinder Singh was ordered to demolish his four-bedroom property after the house - the largest in the area - made his neighbours’ lives "hell". Fed up neighbours complained to the council - claiming the property ended up looking like a 'Travelodge' - with a total of 95 objections to Mr Singh's plans in a retrospective planning application.
And when Walsall Council rejected the application, it gave Mr Singh an enforcement notice and he had to demolish the property. Now the council has again ordered Mr Singh to rip down his new property after dismissing the homeowner's appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.
Planning inspector Andrew McGlone has said in a decision notice: "The appellant claims that the works which have taken place on site accord with the planning permission granted by the council on May 17, 2021 ('the 2021 permission') for a two-storey side extension and single-storey front extension for a front porch and bay window.
"Further, in respect of the outbuilding, the appellant contends that it is permitted development and does not require planning permission. Dimensions, taken on site, and agreed between the main parties, have allowed the parties to compare the floor plan of what has been built to the approved floor plan for the 2021 permission.
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"Setting aside the fact that the works are not an extension to the dwelling since it was demolished, the outcome of the assessment confirms that, the layout, footprint, scale, massing and appearance of the structure are different to the 2021 permission."
Gurwinder Singh bulldozed his modest semi-detached house and replaced it with four-bedroom property which has made his neighbours’ lives “hell”. (SWNS)Explaining the breach, he added: "Hence, the appellants have not carried out the development granted through the 2021 permission and there is no other planning permission in place for the development that has taken place. As a result, there has been a breach of planning control in respect of the partially erected replacement dwelling."
Residents living near the house in Willenhall, West Midlands - where the average house price is around £180,000 - spoke of their joy after Mr Singh's application was first rejected back in April 2022.
One neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I think it's right that he should tear it down. Why should anyone get away with breaking the rules.? The house is bloody huge and looks like a horrible monster mansion. None of the other houses in this area are that big, what on earth was he thinking?”
Last year, Walsall Council slapped Mr Singh with an enforcement notice ordering him to tear the building down following complaints from residents (SWNS)Another said: "When the house started going up I heard the next door neighbour whose house is attached could actually see the cracks coming through their walls. I'm glad the council have nipped it in the bud now before it's finished. It was at least three times the size of the original house. It looks like a sports hall."
Mike Bird, planning committee chairman at the Tory-controlled authority, said: "This is a very serious situation. Walsall Council is going to put 'force' back into enforcement. I am sick and tired of seeing breaches of planning regulations around the borough because people think 'I do that because I can'.
The council has again ordered Mr Singh to rip down his new property down after dismissing the homeowner's appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. (SWNS)"This committee are telling you now, you can't do it because we won't let you. When we find out, we will prosecute you. Adjoining neighbours have suffered hell. There has been a lack of co-operation from day one so I welcome the enforcement.
"We've got to be shown to make a stand against people who think they can build anything they like in relation to the planning permission they receive."
Mr Singh had planning permission for a modest extension to the 1960s house but he went one step further, to his detriment.
The Mirror has contacted Walsall Council for a comment.
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