THE owners of a house in Hayes have been ordered to pay more than £6,000 costs and to pull down a rear extension they had built without planning permission.

At a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice, the owners of 40 Cranmer Road failed in a bid to appeal a planning notice served on them by Hillingdon Council in March, requiring the large extension to be removed.

The court heard the owners didn't acknowledge the notice until May, at which point the time period to act on the notice had expired.

The owners opted to challenge Hillingdon’s actions via a judicial review. However, as the council had followed all the required protocols and the owners had failed to act, the courts found in Hillingdon’s favour.

The property was granted planning permission in 2018 for a single-storey rear extension. However, council planners were notified in 2020 of building work taking place which didn't match the approved plans.

Investigations uncovered photos and details of a building too large to fall under 'permitted development' rights, which exempt smaller builds from planning permission.

At the judicial review, the council was awarded costs in full, totalling £6,492 and the owners now have until March to remove the illegal extension.

Cllr Eddie Lavery, Cabinet Member for Residents' Services, said: "Planning law ensures developments are respectful of the local communities and that they avoid over-building. Those rules apply to everyone.”

You can report a suspected planning breach at //www.hillingdon.gov.uk/planning-enforcement