A homeowner has finally started to demolish a "monster mansion" he built without planning permission - following a three year row with his neighbours. <br /><br />Gurwinder Singh bulldozed his modest semi-detached house and replaced it with a four-bedroom property in Willenhall, West Mids., back in 2020. <br /><br />But following more than 95 complaints from local residents, he was ordered to tear down the half-built home by Walsall Council. <br /><br />Neighbours fumed the building work had made their "lives hell" while others described the "eyesore" as "like a Travelodge in the middle of a housing estate".<br /><br />Delivery driver Mr Singh appealed to the Planning Inspectorate but the council dismissed the appeal and upheld the original enforcement notice in July.<br /><br />He was also threatened with court action if he failed to comply with the enforcement notice by April next year. <br /><br />Work has now begun to demolish the structure and and the first floor has been torn down, much to relief of surrounding residents in Sandringham Avenue. <br /><br />One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "It's about time - this has been going on for way too long and we just hope he sees it through now.<br /><br />"We always said he'd never get away with it but as time went on you did wonder. It's been hell living next to a construction site and half-built shell for three years. <br /><br />"We just hope he rips the rest of it down and doesn't leave another mess. We'll be relieved when it's all done and dusted."<br /><br />Another resident said previously: "The house is bloody huge and looks like a horrible monster mansion.<br /><br />“None of the other houses in this area are that big, what on earth was he thinking?<br /><br />"It was at least three times the size of the original house. It looks like a sports hall."<br /><br />The dad-of-two had never applied for planning permission and was only been given the green light for a side extension to the existing 1960s house in 2020.<br /><br />It is thought the brand new house would have cost in the region of £200,000 to build – and would have been the biggest property in the area.<br /><br />When enforcement got involved, two retrospective planning applications were submitted – the first of which was withdrawn and the second refused.<br /><br />He was then given a series of five deadlines, with the first giving him until October 7 to demolish the building.<br /><br />He was also given until November 7 to stabilise the adjoining property and remove all below ground works by December 7. <br /><br />A spokesperson for Walsall Council said: “The Council is monitoring the situation to ensure all actions in the enforcement notice are complied with. <br /><br />"We will review the need for potential further action once the final deadline for compliance has passed. <br /><br />"We are aware that the owner has started demolition work and continue to monitor in accordance with the enforcement notice. <br /><br />"The owner is undertaking works themselves at this stage.”
