A court has ordered IT engineer Mark Jones, 55, to demolish a £180,000 bungalow he built in his garden without planning permission. The two-bedroom annex, constructed in 2019, replaced an old garage and was intended as a home for his ailing father, Tony, who later died of bowel cancer.
The 83-square-metre brick structure, connected to the main house's electricity, water and internet, includes a kitchen diner, two bedrooms, a bathroom and a storeroom. Jones did not apply for planning permission, believing the development was permitted due to its size and reliance on the main house's utilities.
Birmingham City Council ordered demolition in 2021 after three neighbours complained, describing the bungalow as 'over-intensive' and raising concerns about parking, privacy and light. Two retrospective planning applications were rejected, with the council ruling the property breached planning regulations.
Jones, who now lives in the bungalow after his divorce, faces homelessness if forced to knock it down. He argued that similar structures exist in nearby gardens and that the bungalow is not a separate dwelling, sharing utilities and lacking its own council tax. He said: 'There is no public interest in taking the bungalow down, so I don't know why they're making me.'
The Planning Inspectorate dismissed his appeal in February 2021, deeming the bungalow 'alien' to the local aesthetic. Jones must dismantle the property by the end of the month or face further legal action.
