Four-year row for illegal cul-de-sac house near end

A four-year dispute over the illegal construction of a family home finally appears to be coming to an end. Harminder Singh Reehal has been given the go-ahead by Sandwell Council to add a handful of alterations to his home in Barnfordhill Close, Oldbury, in 2021.

A two-storey extension was then built on the house, despite being refused several times – and not on the plans. Sandwell Council’s planning committee was due to decide on the “retrospective” proposals for the family home in March, but quickly abandoned the debate after Mr Reehal threw a spanner in the works and revealed only one of the house’s original walls was still standing straight away.

The planning application, which included a first floor side extension, a single storey side extension and single storey and two storey rear extensions, has been abandoned and replaced with a new application for a ‘new’ house. Sandwell Council planners have recommended the work be approved when councilors meet to rule on the application.

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The work includes a larger dwelling with a first floor side extension, a single storey roadside side extension, single storey and two storey rear extensions, an increase in roof height, two rear dormers and a porch to the face. The application also proposes the restoration of a grass verge, a new boundary fence and three off-street parking spaces to the front road.

“The development would not significantly impact on the amenity of surrounding residents and the design and scale would blend into the surrounding area; being in line with the policy of the development plan,” said a report, which will be discussed by the council’s planning committee on July 24.

“While the unauthorized demolition, rebuilding and removal of the kerb is regrettable, the proposal builds on the principles set out in a previous approval and seeks to remedy the wrongs through a reasonable scheme to address visual amenity issues.” Under Mr Reehal’s old plan, a side extension, which had originally been intended to be two storeys but was criticized by council planners and rejected, would have remained in place.

A separate extension, which was also built without permission, was reportedly demolished. A roadside grass verge would be restored and a new perimeter fence would also be built.

Mr Reehal apologized to neighbors at the planning meeting in March, saying the work was taking longer than expected. He said: “We just want to improve the area and move on. “It’s a family home, mum and dad should come and that’s why we want to extend the house… I just want to take care of mum and dad.”

Mr Reehal then told the committee he had demolished all but one of the walls of the original building, prompting the council’s lawyer to recommend an immediate adjournment. “From what the applicant has just said, he’s pretty much demolished his original building, in which case he questions the 2021 permit and also questions everything you’re reading tonight,” he said.

Cllr Ellen Fenton said she was “very uncomfortable” deciding on an extension when it appeared to be a “completely new build with an external wall from an old building”. The council said grass verge removal and “substantial” foundation work for the unauthorized extension was carried out in early 2023 and an enforcement case was opened by the council in March. Sandwell Council’s planning committee meets in Oldbury on July 24.