Man forced to tear down bungalow in ex's garden

A MAN claims he faces being made homeless after he was ordered to tear down a bungalow in his ex-wife’s back garden in a planning wrangle.

- NICK HORNER News Reporter

Mark Jones, 55, spent £180,000 on the project but has only a few days till the end of June to comply. He accused Birmingham City Council of “bullying” and said he would move to Spain if it had to be bulldozed.

He began the build in Walmley Ash Road, Sutton Coldfield, without planning permission in March 2019, hoping his late father could move in.

But he died that October and Mr Jones's daughter and her boyfriend used the pad during the pandemic before he moved in himself.

But a neighbour had already complained and Mr Jones had been told by a council officer that he needed planning consent.

Six years on, Mr Jones, who initially believed he could build the bungalow under permitted development rules, was given less than a fortnight to meet the demolition deadline having twice been refused planning permission and lost an appeal.

He told the Post: "We thought we could do permitted development, two bedrooms and a bathroom, and a dining room/living space.

"It was a separate building within the permitted development size.