Yahoo News Homeowner demolishes 'monster mansion' but could face legal action over mess left behind
Gurwinder Singh was ordered to tear down the house after building it without planning permission.
A homeowner has finally demolished a "monster mansion" he built without planning permission - but is now still facing legal action for the mess left behind which neighbours say looks even worse.
Gurwinder Singh sparked anger in his neighbourhood when he knocked down his semi-detached house and replaced it with a four-bedroom property.
He was ordered to tear down the half-built £300,000 home in Willenhall, West Midlands, by Walsall Council in 2020 following nearly 100 complaints, with some people claiming the building work had made their "lives hell" and others comparing the "eyesore" to "a Travelodge in the middle of a housing estate".
Singh, 43, appealed to the council's Planning Inspectorate but it was dismissed and he was ordered to bulldoze the property by 7 April.
He has complied and demolished the building - but now faces possible court action over piles of rubble rubbish and building materials left behind, which locals say mean the area look like "a construction site in the middle of Birmingham".
Cliff Stevenson, 84, who lives opposite the house, said: "We've got the house knocked down finally but now the problem is all the mess and these great big boards he has erected.
"It also causes a problem for the traffic because it blocks people's view on the corner - it's really quite dangerous.
"I live opposite so have to look at it every single day and it's an appalling eyesore. It has been a nightmare for everyone living on the estate.
Another resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, said the four-year saga had been a "living hell", adding "Our road looks like a construction site in the middle of Birmingham at the moment. It needs sorting out because it's beyond a joke now."
'Could be prosecuted'
Conservative councillor Stacie Elson said the council were now taking legal advice on whether to prosecute Singh for failing to comply with the enforcement notice, saying: "If he has actively breached the notice then he could be prosecuted as the site should have been cleared up by now as the deadline has passed.
"He has complied with the demolition order but he has not cleared the site.
“An enforcement officer has been down there to take photos and these will now be submitted to our legal services department who will advise the next steps."
A Walsall Council spokesperson said: “The council is monitoring the situation to ensure all actions in the enforcement notice are complied with.”
What happens if you ignore planning laws?
According to law firm Morton's Solicitors, ending up in a criminal court by flouting planning laws can be "an expensive business".
The firm says: "It can be quite tempting to ignore planning laws in the hope that changes you make to buildings and environment will not be noticed. In our experience, it is quite surprising just how often these breaches come to the attention of the authorities, suggesting that many in society take a very close interest indeed to what is going on around them."
The company lists examples where fines and confiscation orders imposed by the crown court have run into six-figure sums.
There are also examples elsewhere of where people have been imprisoned for breaching planning laws, showing that a prison sentence is possible in some cases.
Read more
Michael Gove to overhaul planning laws to help young people onto property ladder (Telegraph)
Developer accused of 'trying to pull a fast one' over plans to transform house (Manchester Evening News)
Big fall in planning permission for new homes in England, study suggests (PA Media)
