A three-year planning row over an unauthorised extension has rumbled on after an owner admitted he had already demolished most of his house - without planning permission.
Harminder Singh Reehal received an approval from Sandwell Council's planners in 2021 to add a handful of smaller extensions to his home in Oldbury, West Midlands. After several attempts, he failed to get permission for a larger two-storey extension - but decided to go ahead and build it anyway.
The council's planning committee had been due to decide on the latest proposals for the family home, which included a first-floor side extension, single-storey side extension and single and two-storey rear extensions. But the debate was forced to be abandoned after Mr Reehal revealed only one of the home's original walls was still in place, reports Birmingham Live.
Under the latest application by Mr Reehal, the side extension - which had originally intended to be two storeys but rejected by the council's planners - would have stayed in place. A separate extension, that was also built without permission, would have been demolished. A roadside grass verge would be reinstated and a new perimeter fence would also have been built.
A council planning debate was forced to be abandoned after Mr Reehal revealed only one of the home's original walls was still in place (Google Maps)Mr Reehal apologised to his neighbours at the planning meeting on March 27, saying the work was taking longer than he had expected. He said: "We just want to improve the area and get on. It's a family house, my mom and dad are supposed to come in and that's why we want to extend the house... I just want to look after my mom and dad."
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But a short time later Mr Reehal told the committee he had in fact demolished all but one of the walls on the old building - a bombshell which led to council's solicitor recommending an immediate deferral. He said: "From what the applicant has just said, he has pretty much demolished his original building in which case it puts into doubt the 2021 permission and also puts into doubt everything you are reading tonight".
Councillor Ellen Fenton said she was "very uncomfortable" deciding on an extension when it appeared to be a "complete new build with one external wall from an old building." The council said the removal of the grass verge and "substantial" groundwork on the unauthorised extension was carried out in early 2023 and an enforcement case was opened by the council in March.
Ahead of the meeting, Sandwell Council's planning officers had recommended the application should be approved. A report by the council's planning officers said: "The development would have no significant impact on the amenity of surrounding residents and the design and scale would assimilate into the surrounding area; being compliant with development plan policy. Whilst the unauthorised extensions and removal of the former verge is regrettable, the proposal builds on the principles set in the previous approval and seeks to rectify wrongs with a reasonable scheme to address the visual amenity issues." The Mirror has approached Sandwell Council for comment
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