A landlord and his company have been ordered to pay £7,589 after a Hillingdon Council investigation found he had extended a three-bedroom property in Uxbridge without planning consent and failed to demolish the structure when instructed.
Saad Ahmad, 44, of The Larches, Uxbridge, company director of Optimum Asset Investments Limited, appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 18 November, where he pleaded guilty to breaching planning control regulations and failing to comply with an enforcement notice.
The company, Optimum Asset Investments Limited was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £1,200 and the council’s prosecution costs of £3,363.
Ahmad was sentenced to an 18-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £26.
After receiving complaints from residents, the council’s planning enforcement team visited 15 Lynhurst Crescent, Uxbridge, on 16 November 2022. The visit confirmed that an unauthorised front extension, including a porch and first floor side room, had been built without the necessary planning permission.
Upon speaking to Ahmad, officers were advised of his intention to submit a retrospective planning application which was received on 2 February 2023.
The council’s Planning Committee refused the application the following month on 27 March, due to the extension’s excessive size and poor design, which resulted in the property appearing cramped and out of character with the surrounding residential area. The proposal also did not comply with the borough’s Local Plan.
Ahmad appealed the decision, which was dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate on 26 September 2023 who commented on the extension’s “unattractive box-like and blocky outline which is out of rhythm with other dwellings.”
On 10 October 2023, planning enforcement officers issued a warning letter, requesting the unauthorised development be removed within 28 days.
Ahmad did not comply, instead submitting an amended retrospective application with changes to the roof design on 6 November, which was refused by the council on 8 May 2024. Officers determined the new proposal did not overcome the previous reason for refusal.
The council issued Ahmad with a planning enforcement notice on 15 August 2024, requiring the unauthorised extension to be fully demolished and removed by 26 December.
The extension is yet to be fully removed, and the council is engaging with Ahmad to ensure this takes place prior to further enforcement action being taken.
Cllr Steve Tuckwell, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Growth, said: “This should serve as a reminder to every resident, landlord or businesses, that the correct procedures must be followed when undertaking construction on a property or hiring contractors.
“The council offers paid pre-planning advice on all proposals, so there is no excuse for breaching the rules.
“Planning laws are in place to keep residents safe and protect the environment, and if required, we will not hesitate to take robust action to enforce them."
To find out more about planning regulations and how to report a breach, visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/report-planning-breach.
