£400,000 family house must be torn down because it is 19 inches too wide

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, August 13, 2026

A man in Walsall faces the potential demolition of his newly built five-bedroom house after the local council ruled it exceeded planning permission by 19 inches. Despite spending up to £400,000 and making modifications, his retrospective applications were rejected due to concerns over design and neighbor privacy, highlighting conflicts between homeowners and planning authorities over minor construction deviations.

A Walsall man faces the prospect of demolishing his newly built family home after a local council determined the property was constructed slightly larger than allowed under its planning permission. Idnan Choudhry, 31, was informed that his five-bedroom house, located in Walsall, West Midlands, exceeded the permitted size by 19 inches, prompting the council to order its removal.

The dispute traces back four years when Mr. Choudhry, a quantity surveyor, purchased the original three-bedroom house for £337,000 and sought planning permission to replace it with a larger dwelling. Permission was initially granted in 2022, but Walsall council later accused Mr. Choudhry of submitting inaccurate drawings, attributing the issue to an “oversight.” Although he attempted to correct the plans, the council delayed its response, by which time the house had been substantially built.

Despite modifications including a reduction to the dormer size, Mr. Choudhry’s retrospective planning applications were refused twice. The council cited failure to address prior conditions related to a 45-degree sightline protecting neighboring windows and added concerns about the building’s “top heavy and incongruous” appearance, as well as a potential loss of privacy for neighbors. A Breach of Condition Notice was initially issued but later withdrawn after the council acknowledged it could not enforce the notice lawfully due to its own error.

Mr. Choudhry has invested an estimated £300,000 to £400,000 in the property and an additional £30,000 on legal and architectural fees to contest the council’s stance. He expressed frustration with the process, stating that his family has felt unfairly targeted despite his efforts to follow established procedures. “We’re being made out to be criminals but we have tried to do everything by the book,” he said, highlighting the ongoing stress caused by what he described as “ridiculously small measurements” and changing council requirements.

The case underscores tensions that can arise between homeowners and planning authorities over minor discrepancies and interpretation of planning permissions. Walsall council has not provided a public comment on the matter.

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