A homeowner has been prosecuted by MK City Council after building an out of place extension without planning permission that did not match the surrounding homes.
The case relates a property on Clifford Avenue in Bletchley, specifically to a side extension of around 3m by 6m which used highly unusual materials including corrugated iron, plasterboard, and thin metal sheets.
An Enforcement Notice was issued on 24 October 2024, requiring the extension to be removed within six months. The owner did not appeal and failed to act, despite repeated warnings from the city council.
On June 23 this year, the homeowner was found guilty at the Magistrates’ Court. They were fined and ordered to pay the city council’s legal costs, totalling almost £1,000.
The property is also subject to a separate notice for being used as an unauthorised House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).
Milton Keynes has an ‘Article 4 direction’ in place, which means planning permission is needed to turn a family home into an HMO. This helps ensure homes are suitable and properly set up for multiple people living together, with the right standards in place.
This case highlights that planning rules are in place to ensure developments fit with the local area, and that action will be taken when they are ignored.
Work to remove the extension has now begun.
