Advice to residents following planning appeal
Date Published : 12 February 2007
Walsall Council is issuing advice to home owners after an independent hearing ordered the removal of a roof and loft extension – because it didn’t have planning permission.
The council is urging all residents who are thinking of extending or altering the outside of their home to check with the planning department directly to see if they need planning permission before carrying the work out.
In a decision letter following an informal independent hearing the planning inspector dismissed an appeal from Marie and Adrian Taylor of Tyndale Crescent to keep a roof and loft extension. He upheld the council’s enforcement notice, but recognising the difficulties he gave them 12 months to remove the extension.
David Elsworthy, head of planning and building control, said: “This is a really unfortunate situation and it is not something we entered into lightly.
“We studied all the evidence before serving an enforcement notice, the extension had been built without planning permission, and planning permission is a requirement by law.
“The planning inspector agreed with the council that the extension was out of character with the local area and unlawful.
“Because of this case we would urge anyone thinking of altering their home to get in touch with us direct, we can then offer advice on obtaining planning permission and the processes involved.
“This is very unfortunate for the Taylor’s and we would not want anyone else to be in the same situation.”