Reading: Homeowner told to demolish back garden properties

A woman has been ordered to knock down two homes she built in her back garden without planning permission.

A planning inspector said the buildings in the garden of a property on Silver Street in Reading, Berkshire, were "unsuitable" to be lived in and caused "unacceptable harm" to the appearance of the area.

The owner appealed an earlier planning enforcement notice issued by Reading Borough Council in November 2023, but the appeal was dismissed.

She has until March 2025 to demolish the buildings.

In her appeal, the homeowner claimed the buildings did not constitute a breach of planning control.

The inspector said the properties looked "uncomfortably cramped" in their "backland" location, and that the roofline contrasted with the majority of other nearby buildings.

The council said the buildings were also in conflict with its Local Plan.

If the landowner does not knock the buildings down by March 2025, she risks prosecution and a fine of £20,000, the council said.

Micky Leng, Reading Borough Council's lead for planning, said the homeowner had "blatantly disregarded" planning guidelines, and that people should go through "the correct channels" when building similar structures.

"Planning protections are in place to protect our communities and the impact of developments on neighbours," he said.

"This is a good result for the council's small but diligent planning enforcement team who work extremely hard behind the scenes to help protect the character and appearance of our communities."