Latest news with #dormer
Daily Mail
14-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Homeowner ordered to take down dormer extension that looks like a 'football stadium executive box' after neighbours branded it 'a monstrosity'
A homeowner has been ordered to take down dormer extension that has been labelled a 'monstrosity' and compared to an 'executive box' at a Premier League football stadium. Rozia Hussian, 43, splashed thousands on the large extension atop her 125-year-old terraced property in Worcester, West Midlands, which has since increased the property's market value by more than 200 per cent. The mid-terraced house was bought for £100,000 in 2003 when it was in a ramshackled condition with peeling paint and chipped brick work. Over the last four years, the three-bedroom house on Wyld's Lane, has undergone a complete transformation and according to Rightmove it is now worth up to £320,000. A wall and intercom system was installed at the front of the house while a large dormer was built on top of the two-storey property. But Mrs Hussain now faces having to demolish it after Worcester City Council rejected her retrospective planning application. The council said: 'By virtue of its size, design and position, the addition of the large box dormer to the front of the property results in detrimental impact and creates significant harm to the character and appearance of the existing property and wider street scene in which it sits. 'The dormer at Wylds Lane is much more visually intrusive than the approved, well-designed, more subtle addition.' A wall and intercom system was installed at the front of the house while a large dormer was built on top of the two-storey property Mrs Hussain, who owns a newsagents in the city, said she didn't 'know anything' about the planning application being rejected, adding: 'I don't think it looks too big.' The decision has also divided her neighbours, who have split opinions on the rejection. One said they 'think the house looks much better now' as it was in a 'terrible state a few years ago'. They added: 'It now looks modern and clean. The dormer doesn't really bother me but I think some people are concerned because it looks right onto their properties.' Another resident, who lives nearby in a similar property, said: 'A few years ago I applied to have a dormer on my house but it was refused. One neighbour said they 'think the house looks much better now' as it was in a 'terrible state a few years ago' 'The reason the council gave was because it would not be in keeping with the area or sympathetic to the age and heritage of the property. 'In my view I just think that it would be grossly unfair if this woman was allowed to have a large dormer on her property when I was not. 'I mean the extension is very big. It looks like an executive box you get at Premier League football grounds. 'When my friend visited he asked what the monstrosity was on one of the houses so it's clearly noticeable to people.' Mrs Hussain has three months to tear down the dormer or face enforcement action. Mrs Hussain has three months to tear down the dormer or face enforcement action A city spokesperson said: 'An enforcement notice was served on 17 June that comes into effect on 17 July. 'This requires the applicant to remove the dormer and restore the roof or adapt the current dormer so that it complies with the planning permission given. 'They have three months to carry out the works. 'They have until 17 July to appeal against the notice.'
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Neighbours' fury as penny-pinching council rules homeowner's illegally built 'monstrosity' dormer is allowed to stay
A woman has been allowed to keep a 'monstrosity' box dormer extension that was built without planning permission after the council removed the enforcement notice because it was 'too costly' to appeal. Furious locals have complained the large development on the property's roof is out of keeping with the rest of the area and overlooks their homes, invading their privacy. They also believe the decision will spark a 'planning free-for-all' with homeowners able to build what they want now and ask for permission later. The row centres on a box dormer - a type of roof extension - at the back of the family home on Upham Road in Swindon, Wiltshire, that was built without permission. In August 2019, homeowner Harjinder Saran was given the go-ahead for the construction of front, side and rear extensions and an outbuilding in the garden. Those buildings went up in 2020 but so did the large box dormer extension, sparking immediate concern from neighbours. One local, who can see the development from her garden and kitchen window, told MailOnline: 'I never expected it to go up so high. 'I thought it was enough when they built the shed in the garden. I don't understand why people think they can just do what they want.' Another resident in a nearby property said he alerted Swindon Borough Council to the 'unauthorised development' while it was still being built five years ago. He said, however, it took the local authority at least two years to issue an enforcement notice and problems then arose surrounding the 'legality' of it. The enforcement notice told the homeowner Mrs Saran that the box dormer extension had not been built in accordance with the 2019 planning application. It read: 'Remove the box dormer from the rear elevation of the dwelling. 'Remove all resultant material from the land following compliance and ensure the development is built in accordance with the approved plans.' The homeowner, however, subsequently appealed the enforcement notice - with the council saying it had been withdrawn earlier this month. A spokesperson for Swindon Borough Council told MailOnline that despite them being 'confident' there had been a 'breach of planning control', it was 'not in the council's best interests to continue with a lengthy and costly appeals process'. Local Iain Melrose, 77, told MailOnline: 'Over four years ago Swindon Borough Council were made aware that this huge box dormer was being built without planning permission. Furious locals have complained the large development on the property's roof is out of keeping with the rest of the area and overlooks their homes, invading their privacy 'Due to severe staff shortages and frankly total incompetence, it took two years to issue a breach of condition enforcement notice. 'Due to more incompetence between enforcement and legal there was an issue with the legality of the enforcement notice. 'My concern is that this monstrosity sets a precedent. I want to ensure that this doesn't happen to other people in future.' Mr Melrose added that he thought the decision to remove the enforcement notice was less about money and more about the 'incompetence of the council'. He claimed that the council knew they would lose the planning appeal as more than four years had passed since the box dormer extension went up. Other residents in the area said they had concerns that the rear roof extension was 'invading their privacy'. One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: 'Our main concern is privacy. It is really high. It is too much. 'They can see right into our property' Others, however, said they were not concerned by the development. One who wished to remain anonymous said: 'It has never bothered us. It has not been a problem. 'We never objected in the first place. We got a letter saying it was being removed in April then we got another one saying it was now fine. 'I can understand why people might be angry. It does stand out quite a lot.' Mrs Saran previously defended the decision to build the box dormer. She told the Swindon Advertiser last year: 'We're not planning to take the box dormer down. We've written to the council but we haven't heard anything back.' Mrs Saran added: 'If you look around Swindon there are box dormers all over the place, because it's too expensive to move. 'This meets all the building regulations and is safe.'
