THE owners of a house dubbed “monster mansion” by neighbours and bulldozed on council orders have vowed to build a new THIRD home in its place.
Heartbroken Gurwinder Singh and his wife Rajwinder Kaur are devastated after losing their life savings and seeing their West Mids., home reduced to rubble.
Roland LeonGurwinder Singh and his wife Rajwinder Kaur vow they will re-build a third home[/caption]
SWNSThe couple replaced their 1960s semi with the new home – without getting planning permission[/caption]
SWNSThe ‘monster mansion’ is now being demolished[/caption]
The pair were ordered to tear down the four-bed in Willenhall after becoming embroiled in a nasty three-year planning war with the council.
Locals previously fumed the building work had made their “lives hell” while others described the “eyesore” as “like a Travelodge in the middle of a housing estate”.
Following more than 95 complaints, Mr Singh was ordered to tear down the half-built home, started in 2020, by Walsall Council.
Now, the couple claim the demolition has drained them of £37,000 in life savings, while another £40,000 was awarded to a neighbour for damaging their home.
But, the determined pair insist they already have plans to re-build.
In a first interview with The Sun Online, Rajwinder said: “We are so saddened and depressed by what has happened.
When the family moved in I thought ‘they are going to be very nice neighbours’ until they wrecked my house!”
Fuming neighbour
“We were never at fault, it was our builders who made some errors and we have tried our best to put things right at a large cost to us, both financially and emotionally.
“It was to be our forever home and for our girls and now it has gone, razed to the ground.
“It was a horrible sight to see. It has gone now, there is debris still there but it will be removed.”
The distraught mum, 43, shrugging off comments from furious residents said: “It was our new home and we never even got to live in it.”
She told how the family, now renting a small house in nearby Walsall, plan on keeping the plot of land and erect a new home – this time with planning permission.
Rajwinder added: “Hopefully third time lucky! We have family in India who may send us money to make this possible, and of course if the council allows allow it.
“But is is all too soon and we haven’t even thought about the type of house we would go for again.”
The family had torn down their original smaller home to start construction on the “Travelodge” house.
Rajwinder continued: “It is still our land and we must use it again wisely.”
“Our family is so upset by what has happened, we are all depressed, even our daughters, and my husband is trying his best to manage his work commitment,” she continued.
“Our neighbours are making it very personal against is, maybe they are jealous.”
ANGRY NEIGHBOURS
Neighbours had claimed the ongoing work in their quiet street – Sandringham Avenue – made their “lives hell”.
Now, there is a mixed response to the demolition – ordered to be completed within five weeks on April 7.
Some worry about what “may spring up next”, while others are relieved to see the “eyesore” go.
A pensioner living in the adjoining house said: “When the family moved in I thought ‘they are going to be very nice neighbours’ until they wrecked my house!
“All I want is for my house to be repaired properly, and I’m still waiting, and then to get on with the rest of my life.”
The OAP, 77, who declined to be named, said: “I have lived here for 50 years and the last three have been awful with everything going on next door, and an eyesore.”
It’s all been very stressful, I have spent my life savings on this house for my family and we have never even lived there.”
Gurwinder Singh
The retired hospital nursery nurse, speaking exclusively to our website, said: “The main building is down but there’s lots of rubble still there, girders, roof tiles, and there’s still boarding all around the property.”
She told how her attached semi had been damaged by the illegal build, and despite the couple paying a fee, the chimney and outside wall still need to be fixed.
The elderly woman, who had been advised to move out temporarily when when the build infringed her property, said: “I was told to go but I refused to because I didn’t want squatters moving in.
She added defiantly: “Why should I move out, I’ve done nothing wrong! My house is unsaleable now because of the state it’s been left in.
What are your rights?
Planning permission guidance according to gov.uk
You will need to request planning permission if you wish to build something new, make a major change to your building or change the use of your building – for example starting a business.
To find out if you need planning permission you should contact your Local Planning Authority through your council.
If planning permission is refused you can appeal.
You are able to appeal if you were refused planning permission for reasons that you think go against the LPA’s development plan or planning policy (you can usually find these on their website).
You can also appeal if you were granted planning permission with conditions you object to – you’ll need to explain why you think they’re unnecessary, unenforceable, vague, unreasonable or irrelevant.
Another ground for appeal is if the LPA has not given you a decision on your application and 8 weeks have passed since the date they told you they’d received it (or a different deadline you agreed with them has passed).
“I don’t want to bad mouth the couple but I think they have been incredibly foolish and greedy.”
Rajwinder said she and her DPP delivery worker husband, also 43, had paid £18,000 to her neighbour to cover costs for repairs to her wall and roof, plus £16,000 in her lawyers’ fees plus another £6,000 in costs.
She said: “We have paid £40,000 to next door and around £35,000 in demolition fees, and our neighbours are still troubling us.
“We accept that our builders made a mistake but it was not our fault, we have no idea about construction and out next door neighbour was threatening to take us to court.
“We have paid all of our savings to builders, neighbours and lawyers.”
HORROR WRECKAGE
Recalling the trauma of the unauthorised build, the lone pensioner said: “They put a RSJ steel joist through my bedroom window while I was sitting on my bed. There were holes in my wall and at skirting level to two other rooms.
“The plaster in my living room was cracked.
“They knocked down a whole semi detached house and rebuilt a new bigger one.
“They should have stopped when we started complaining but they wouldn’t listen and I blame them.
“The planning authority should also have cone out but didn’t bother at first.”
While the woman doesn’t mind if the family re-build, she urged them to “comply with proper building regulations” and “get professional builders”.
‘MONSTER MANSION’
Another neighbour, retired builder Pat told The Sun Online said: “We all have mixed feelings about the property we call the monster mansion.
“It’s a shame to knock any building down but they broke the rules.
“One or two other buildings in the area have extended to about the same size without any problem but in this case they knocked down a while house and rebuilt it with no real guidelines.”
Pat, 74, who declined to be fully named, continued: “To demolish a house and lave a plot empty is a bit crazy.
“If they want another house, go for it, but they need to apply for planning permission and get proper builders.”
Pat added the council should also come under fire for not carrying out the correct checks.
BITTER BATTLE
Gurwinder had never applied for planning permission to tear down his original 1960s home in 2020.
The homeowner had only been given the greenlight for a side extension to the existing property.
Demolition countdown
Gurwinder Singh and his wife Rajwinder Kaur are given planning permission by Walsall Council for a side extension of their 1960s home.
The couple start building a four-bedroom home in 2020 – without planning permission.
Fury is sparked among neighbours after construction stopped and an “eyesore” was left behind.
The unfinished home is dubbed the ‘Monster Mansion’ and compared to a Travelodge.
After 95 complaints Walsall Council orders Gurwinder Singh to tear down the property.
They are slapped with an enforcement order to be completed within five weeks on April 7.
The couple reveal the demolition has drained them of £37,000 in life savings.
Another £40,000 was awarded to a neighbour for damaging their home.
Gurwinder Singh and Rajwinder Kaur vow to re-build their home with planning permission when they have enough money.
At the time, neighbours slammed a “monstrosity” and “eyesore” and “looking like a Travelodge in the middle of a housing estate.”
They also grumbled it was a “absolute hell” living next to the noisy construction site.
Gurwinder refused to tear it down for months and begged the council to “find a solution” but finally admitted defeat to “people power”.
The Punjabi-speaking home owner claimed he has been victimised and “taken advantage of” because of his nationality and poor lack of the English language.
He previously told The Sun Online: “Neighbours have been unfair about the house, they call is a monstrosity and I have no reason why.
“It’s all been very stressful, I have spent my life savings on this house for my family and we have never even lived there.
“We feel let down by the system. It is a planning nightmare.”
The family has been renting a three-bed semi in a nearby West Midlands suburb for £800 a month.
A Walsall Council spokesperson said: “We are aware that the owner has started demolition work and continue to monitor in accordance with the enforcement notice. The owner is undertaking works themselves at this stage.”
“The council is monitoring the situation to ensure all actions in the enforcement notice are complied with.”
@SnapperSKThe mansion has now been torn to the ground – but Singh already has plans to build again[/caption]
SWNSGurwinder was forced to pull the Willenhall home down after being ordered by the council[/caption]
Roland LeonThe homeowners had not been given planning permission[/caption]
Roland LeonNeighbours slammed the ‘eyesore’ construction site[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
