Mohammed Azhar, a 57-year-old builder from Bradford, has finally started work to demolish an illegal extension after 13 years of defying planning orders.
The single-storey brick structure, built in 2011 at Azhar’s home on Intake Road, was constructed without planning permission and was ordered to be removed by Bradford Council in 2012.
Despite numerous notices, court hearings, and fines over the years, it took years of legal pressure before demolition work commenced late last month.
A prolonged legal battle: 13 years of defiance
Azhar’s troubles began in 2011 when he built an extension without planning permission.
As a builder by profession, he was aware of the need for planning permission for the extension but he decided to carry out the work anyway. This led Bradford Council to issue an enforcement notice in March 2012. This notice required the removal of the extension by June 2012.
Despite a retrospective planning application being submitted and subsequently refused in January 2013, Azhar continued to ignore the order. “The planning department made repeated attempts to contact Azhar, but there was no compliance,” said Andrew Stranex, the prosecutor for Bradford Council. By 2022, a decision was made to prosecute Azhar, marking nearly 11 years since the original enforcement notice was issued.
“Over the years, contact was made with the defendant numerous times, but there was no compliance,” Stranex said in court. Even after Azhar appeared at Bradford Magistrates Court in February 2024, where he pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the enforcement notice, the extension remained standing.
“At that point, Azhar told the court that he would have the extension demolished within three months. But this never happened,” Stranex added.
The extension’s purpose and Azhar’s defense
Azhar’s defense in court was tied to a personal family matter. He explained that the extension was initially built to house a downstairs toilet for his elderly parents, who struggled with mobility issues.
At the time, his parents were both very ill, and he sought to improve their living conditions. “I built the extension for my parents, who were very ill and couldn’t go upstairs. I’m sorry for that. I’m now in a position where I need it,” Azhar stated in court.
His lawyer, Jabran Hussain, further clarified the situation, explaining that Azhar’s parents had since passed away, but Azhar continued to retain the extension for his own use due to his own health problems. Hussain argued that Azhar now understood the importance of complying 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 stated.
Despite these personal circumstances, the court remained firm in its stance, noting that Azhar, being a professional builder, should have understood the gravity of his actions. “With your background being a builder, you should have realised the seriousness of this,” the judge said.
The court’s final decision and the £3,000 fine
In the end, the court imposed a £3,000 fine on Azhar for failing to comply with the enforcement notice. He was also ordered to pay an additional £200 surcharge.
The judge stated: “It is regrettable it has taken so long, and taken two court appearances for you to start the demolition.”
While Azhar had begun work to remove the extension following a second court appearance in February 2025, Stranex emphasised that this action came far too late. “It has only been after two court appearances and a 13-year time period that the work has started,” he said.
The court's ruling reflects the long road of enforcement and legal action that has been necessary to compel Azhar to act. Local authorities have made it clear that the extension must be demolished by the end of May 2025.
