A mother has expressed devastation after being ordered to demolish the first floor of her two-storey house extension, which she says cost £180,000. Suzie Cavadino, originally from Bootle, moved into her home on Sunnyside in Aughton nearly 20 years ago.
The mother of four invested £180,000 in an extension to replace her old conservatory over two years ago. The build was completed in December 2022 after several delays and issues with builders. The extension houses the property's boiler, kitchen, and a bedroom that has been divided into two for two of her children.
However, West Lancashire Council instructed her to tear down the extension by April 24, with Suzie claiming council officers said it is "out of keeping with the character of the surrounding area." Suzie, who lives with her four children aged 12 to 19, alleges the builder she hired assured her planning permission was not required for replacing the conservatory with the two-storey extension.
After the work was completed, she received notification from the council that consent was needed. The deadline has passed, and Suzie says she was quoted £50,000 for demolition, prompting her to launch a GoFundMe page. She has been ordered to demolish the first floor but can retain the ground floor kitchen, with six months to complete the work before the council intervenes.
Despite this concession, Suzie maintains the demands will leave her family "split up forever" as two children will be unable to live in the house without the two bedrooms. She said: "They finally responded and said we can keep the kitchen but upstairs has to go. It's good that we're keeping the kitchen but we're still in a position where our family is going to be split up forever."
She added: "We've had no one reach out to help and the GoFundMe never got off the ground. My head has fallen off, I have to put on a front for the kids but I'm just shouldering the burden myself. We either sink or swim."
Suzie confirmed she is ineligible for council housing because she is a homeowner. Writing on GoFundMe, she said: "I trusted a builder who told me planning permission wasn't needed. That mistake has now put my entire family at risk of losing everything."
In a letter to local MP Ashley Dalton, Paul Charlson, assistant director of planning and regulatory services for the council, stated: "...the council has carefully considered the circumstances surrounding this case and has already provided Ms Cavadino with all the advice, flexibility and support that is available within the planning process." He noted that the enforcement notice was upheld by the Planning Inspectorate, extending the compliance period to April 24, 2026, and the council is now legally required to ensure compliance.
A spokesperson for West Lancashire Council commented: "We recognise the impact planning decisions can have and meet with the residents affected to offer practical alternatives and support. However, if the Independent Planning Inspector upholds the requirements of an enforcement notice, the Council must comply with that legally binding decision." They urged anyone considering building work to contact the council's Planning Department beforehand.
