A man has begun removing an illegal home extension, 13 years after being ordered to do so by the council and following a £3,000 fine by a Crown Court judge.
Mohammed Azhar, 57, has finally been forced into action after years ignoring an enforcement notice, multiple letters from and visits by council planning officers and appearance before the magistrates’ court.
The walls, ceiling and contents of the single storey extension to the back of his terraced house in Bradford, West Yorkshire, have been taken down but the stone base remains.
He built the extension to an existing extension without authorisation in 2011 and the following year was issued with an enforcement notice from the council ordering that it be demolished.
The ongoing planning dispute culminated with Azhar appearing before Bradford Crown Court earlier this month.
He was fined £3,000 for failing to comply with the notice and warned he will return to court if the demolition is not completed.
The court heard a retrospective application for the extension was refused in 2013 due to the impact on neighbours.
Andrew Stranex, prosecuting on behalf of Bradford Council, said: ‘Over the years contact was made with the defendant numerous times, but there was no compliance.
‘In 2022 the decision was made to prosecute – this was 10 years and eight months since issuing the enforcement notice.’
In February 2024 he appeared at Bradford Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to failing to comply with an enforcement notice. He was fined £200. At that court appearance he told Magistrates he would have the extension demolished within three months.
He failed to do so and appeared before Kirklees magistrates last month, when the case was sent for sentencing at crown court.
Defending himself, Azhar said: ‘I did my best to comply. I built the extension for my parents who were very ill and couldn’t go upstairs.’
Adding: ‘I’m sorry for not taking it down.’
Azhar told the court he had no savings and only received £230 a month in benefits.
When pressed, he acknowledged that numerous family members lived with him in the property and helped pay bills, and so that £230 would be able to go towards whatever fine the court imposed.
Mr Stranex said: ‘The defendant was a builder, and his son is a builder, so you must consider they had knowledge of this type of work.’
The judge Recorder Singh told him: ‘With your background being a builder you should have realised the seriousness of this.
‘I’m sure you will comply and continue the demolition, if you don’t you face further prosecution.
‘It is regrettable it has taken so long and taken two court appearances for you to start the demolition.’
Azhar was not available for comment when visited the house recently.
In February last year the father-of-two said: ‘My neighbours don’t mind, so what’s the problem?’
He said the extension cost £8,000 to build and would cost £4,000 to take down.
‘There was a garage here and we turned it into a toilet and shower room. It was to help my parents who had to live with us because of their health.
‘They couldn’t get up the stairs to use the toilet and I just wanted to look after them.
‘It’s not like I’ve built a massive extension to benefit me, or to make money out of. It was just to help my family.
‘I didn’t go to the council and beg them for help, I just got on with it and sorted it out myself.
‘I was just trying to do the right thing for my family.’
He added: ‘If you look around here there are extensions everywhere and people have not got permission.
‘It looks nice – it suits the existing house. It’s not like I’ve used cheap bricks. I’ve got pride in it because I did a good job.
‘It’s not too high and it doesn’t go out all the way to the boundary. I don’t see what the problem is.’