Homeowner fined £86 for refusing to demolish extension — and another homeowner on the same street also due in court

A woman in Bradford has been fined for failing to pull down an unauthorised extension on her terraced home.

Sajida Shahid faces the front extension to home being torn down by the council if she doesn’t undertake the task beforehand. It is the second case of its type on the same street after another homeowner was fined £300 for ignoring enforcement notices after building an extension without planning permission, earlier in the year.

The cases highlight the importance of understanding when building work requires planning permission and the possible implications.

Front extension built without permission in 2017

Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court was told that Mrs Shahid built the front extension without planning permission in 2017.

In 2018, Bradford Council issued an enforcement notice ordering her to pull the extension down following a complaint, the Telegraph and Argus reports. She did not comply and appeared in court.

Harjit Ryatt, prosecuting on behalf of the council, told the court: “The depth and width of the extension reached almost the boundary of the front curtilage.

“No planning permission had been sought. The owner was told the extension was unauthorised and she was asked why it had been constructed and what grounds for its construction were.”

He said a retrospective planning application was submitted, along with a letter from local MP Imran Hussain who said the homeowner did not know the structure needed planning permission and made an "honest mistake".

Told to demolish extension — or council may do so

The planning officers refused the application and another one after that, stating: “The proposed front extension would not maintain the uniformity appearance of the street thereby creating a strident and disruptive appearance to the front.

“As a result of its overall scale, mass and detailed design the porch appears incongruous in the street scene and has an adverse effect on the character and appearance of the area.”

Planning authorities have the power to enter a property and demolish it and may recover any ‘reasonably incurred’ costs for the demolition.

Chair of the bench Vicky Reynolds told Shahid: “You can’t keep ignoring this enforcement notice. This has been going on since 2017 — you need to start plans to get this demolished right now."

A second homeowner on the same street was fined earlier this year

In February, Zareena Syed pleaded guilty to failing to comply with an enforcement notice that ordered her to pull down her front extension on the same street.

She also claimed she did not realise she needed permission and told magistrates the builders didn’t inform her she needs planning permission. Syed was fined £300 and ordered to pay £1,000 in costs.

The Argus added that another case involving a homeowner on the street failing to pull down an extension is going through the courts.