Mark Jones says he will be “on the street” if he has to knock down his two-bedroom ‘granny flat’
Mark Jones, 55, spent over a year and thousands of pounds building the annex in the garden of his former martial home(Image: Joseph Walshe© SWNS)
A man has been ordered to demolish a £180,000 bungalow he built in his back garden without planning permission. Mark Jones transformed the former garage into a two-bedroom ‘granny-flat’, complete with electricity, water and internet supplied from the main house in 2019.
The 83-square-metre brick annex, which features a kitchen diner, two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a storeroom, was finished six months later. The 55-year-old did not apply for planning permission, believing it was legal due to its size and the utilities being connected to the main house.
He had intended for his father, Tony, 71, to occupy the bungalow in Walmley Ash Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands but his father died from bowel cancer before he could move in. The bungalow was subsequently used by Mark’s adult daughter and her boyfriend during the Covid lockdowns.
Mark Jones’ house has breached planning law and must be demolished by the end of June(Image: BPM Media)
However, following complaints from three neighbours, who claimed the bungalow was “over-intensive” and concerns raised about parking, privacy for neighbours, and light coming from the new dwelling, Birmingham City Council ordered Mark to tear it down in 2021.
IT worker Mark says he believed the building complied with planning laws and lodged a retrospective planning application. The plan was rejected and despite making a second application, he was told the property broke planning regulations.
He has now been ordered to demolish the bungalow by the end of the month or face possible further legal action.
Mark, who took up residence in the bungalow following his divorce, expressed concerns about becoming homeless if he’s compelled to tear down the structure.
The 83-square-metre brick annex features a kitchen diner, two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a storeroom(Image: BPM Media)
The dad-of-two said: “The bungalow was within the permitted development rights and could have habitable rooms. It was meant for my father and reliant on the main house.
“There are several properties nearby with two-storey buildings in their gardens so I thought it was fine. It started at £60,000 but it didn’t have a kitchen so I added one on the plans.”
After completing the interior, Mark appealed to The Planning Inspectorate when he was informed that planning permission was necessary. However, in February 2021, the inspector rejected the appeal, stating the bungalow was “alien” to the area.
The white-washed bungalow has its own gravel drive and patio seating area. The bungalow’s water and electrics are connected to the main house, which is a three-bedroom semi, worth around £355,000.
Mark said: “There is no public interest in taking the bungalow down, so I don’t know why they’re making me. You look at other houses on the street and I can’t see why we wouldn’t get permission for it.
The bungalow’s water and electrics are connected to the main house(Image: BPM Media)
“For an area with a housing shortage, it’s ridiculous. It was never meant to be a separate building, it was supposed to be part of the main house.
“It doesn’t have its own water, internet, council tax or waste. It is still part of the main house. I should’ve waited for planning permission but people can see why I haven’t.
“I was in a hurry to get my dad moved in. When you look at Google Maps and see all the buildings in the gardens, you can see why I thought it was safe.
“Loads of people have done this. If I tear it down I’ve got nowhere else to go so I’ll probably be on the streets. To me the council is bullying me. They want me to knock a property down that’s perfectly reasonable.
“From the street or a neighbour’s garden, you wouldn’t see anything. You can’t see into windows. There was a garage there before.”
Mark has applied for a new permitted development certificate application with the council. Even if it is granted, he will still have to tear down the original bungalow and build it again to comply with the council’s rules.
A spokeswoman for Birmingham City Council said: “Mr Jones is currently in breach of the enforcement notice that was served to him in 2021, and we have given him ample time to comply with the notice by the end of June 2025.
“A decision will be made imminently on the lawful development certificate that Mr Jones has submitted, and a case officer will then be in contact with him to advise further.”