Barton-Le-Clay house with 'inappropriate extension' must go

Syeed Raza Shah said the house was an "eyesore" when he bought it in 2008 (top) and believes his building work has improved the property

A man has been told he must demolish his seven-bedroom home after he built an "inappropriate" extension.

Syeed Raza Shah was given planning permission to increase the floor space of his house in Barton-Le-Clay, Bedfordshire, by about 45% in 2011.

But Central Bedfordshire Council says the work equated to more like a 200% increase and has refused retrospective planning permission.

Mr Shah said he would appeal against the decision to demolish the house.

The five-bedroom bungalow cost £750,000 in 2008, when Mr Shah said it looked an "eyesore".

Soon after he started work on an extension, as agreed by local planners. He would not say how much the work cost.

'New building'

"I have kept within the parameters, I haven't increased on length or width of the house," Mr Shah said.

The council has told Syeed Raza Shah the house is "unsympathetic" to the area

"Yes, we have made some minor adjustments, but I don't see the decision that has been made justifies demolishing the house.

"The house would always look different, it was a flat roof bungalow, a dilapidated building."

Mr Shah also said the council's claim that he had increased the floor space by 200% was "absolutely absurd".

"If anything I have exceeded [the original plan] by about 20%," he said.

The council said the alterations amounted to a new building and served Mr Shah with an enforcement order.

It said retrospective planning permission could not be granted as the house is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Councillor Nigel Young said the council had been working with Mr Shah for a "considerable amount of time" to try and have him stick to the original planning permission.

"We told Mr Shah during construction that [the new building] was inappropriate," he said.

"Councils must follow planning law and planning regulation, this is well outside planning regulation.

"We're obliged, as we are in all cases of unlawful development, to act on behalf of all of our residents and issue enforcement notices."

There have been 11 formal complaints from neighbours, Mr Young said.