A Berkshire father says he has been pushed to the brink of suicide after his local council demanded he pay a staggering £104,000 fee for building a home extension that was larger than his approved plans allowed.
A Costly Planning Breach
Khalid Hussain, a 60-year-old taxi driver from Wokingham, was granted permission in 2019 to extend his six-bedroom property. The approved works included a side and rear extension and a loft conversion. However, during construction, Mr Hussain made at least six significant alterations without seeking further permission.
These unauthorised changes included building two extra bathrooms, constructing a large dormer window in the loft, and changing the roof design from a hip to a gable end, which increased the height. The council discovered the breaches and initially issued an enforcement notice ordering him to demolish the entire extension.
The £104,000 Levy Shock
To rectify the situation, Mr Hussain submitted a retrospective planning application. While this was eventually approved in January 2025, allowing him to keep the structure, it triggered a massive financial penalty. Under national regulations, retrospective planning applications cannot receive an exemption from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
CIL is a charge imposed on new development to help fund local infrastructure like roads and schools. While homeowners who are 'self-building' can usually apply for relief, this protection is lost if permission is sought after the work is done. Wokingham Borough Council consequently issued a CIL liability notice for £104,000, calculated on the entire extended area.
Mr Hussain claims the charge is "disproportionate," arguing he should only be billed for the extra 51 square metres of unauthorised space, which he estimates would cost around £23,000, not the full extension. He says the council's demands have left him and his family in severe distress.
Family in Crisis and Council's Stance
"We've suffered sleepless nights over this," Mr Hussain told the Daily Mail. "I have had suicidal thoughts going through my head over the past eight, nine months over this. It's terrible." The stress has exacerbated his existing diabetes and depression, and he claims it affects his ability to work.
The building work is now paused, leaving the family—Mr Hussain, his wife, and two youngest children—living in a two-bedroom granny annexe in the garden because they have run out of money to complete the main house.
In response, a spokesperson for Wokingham Borough Council stated: "Under national regulations, developments approved retrospectively cannot receive CIL relief or exemption. In line with these requirements, the council has issued a CIL liability notice." They emphasised that while the charge cannot be waived, payment by instalments can be arranged according to council policy.
The council defended its actions, stating this was not a minor error but a significant planning breach, and that government rules dictate their approach. The case highlights the severe financial risks homeowners face when they deviate from approved building plans, even on their own property.
