Neighbors argue over tall extension deemed unacceptable by council

War has broken out on a serene suburban street over a two-storey extension that council inspectors have called the ‘worst’ they have ever seen. 

Neighbors in Solihull, West Midlands, have accused Nadeen Akhter, aged 53, of openly disregarding planning regulations and littering their street.

But Mr Akhter said other residents have ganged up on him with the council and are jealous because his home looks nicer than theirs.

Akhter stated to MailOnline that he was taken by surprise towards the end of the process when the committee was introduced. He claimed that his planner did not inform him about this development.

‘It is now an agenda against me sadly to say that’s the way I’m feeling.

‘I’m feeling like they’re trying to turf me out because my house is a lot better than most of the properties. I’m spending blood sweat and tears.’

On the other hand, Solihull Councillor Kathryn Thomas argued that Mr. Akhter did not handle the disagreement correctly and pointed out two main reasons for the recent denial he faced.

‘The brickwork neither matches the original brickwork nor does it match within the extension itself, it looks really shoddy and is visually obvious,’ she said.

‘We argued that mismatching brickwork is not in keeping with the street scene.’

The other reason was the alteration of the bay windows to a front porch, which completely blocked all the light from the neighbours front window and left them looking out onto a brick wall. 

Ms Thomas said: ‘The history of the whole saga in terms of not adhering to the rules and preventing the neighbours from opening their windows.

‘And a series of complaints that have been made to the council around inconsiderate behaviour highlight that the applicant has not approached the whole matter in the right way.’

In April last year, Mr Akhter was given permission to build a two-storey side/rear extension and single-storey rear extension on his property on Wellsford Avenue.

But after building the extension, local councillors said the work did not match the agreed plans and engaged with planning enforcement.

As a result, Mr Akhter submitted a revised proposal in October 2024, which included amendments to increase the single-storey rear extension, amend the first floor rear extension and alter frontage.

But on March 10, 2025, the plans were rejected by the council.

Mr Akhter said he had to stop and start building a dozen times to deal with complaints but residents said it has completely disrupted the atmosphere of the street.

Mr Akhter, who owns a car garage, told MailOnline: ‘I bought this property about three years ago as a family home.

‘With the neighbours I’ve consulted them I’ve come back I’ve done everything for them, whatever they’ve needed I’ve spoken to them.

‘Every time when a council complaint goes in these builders have to stop. It’s happened a good dozen times.

‘So when they put a complaint in that knocks us back six weeks. I’ve spent not far from £100k and all because every time something is said work stops.’

The father of two said he has returned the front extension to bay windows.

Commenting on the council’s issue with the brickwork, he said: ‘All this brickwork is going to be rendered like all these properties, but you render at the end it only makes sense.’

‘Everything the council has told us not to do we’ve gone back, we’ve revised the plan again and done exactly what they’ve told us,’ he added.

The final decision to reject Mr Akhter’s application was made in a council cabinet meeting on March, 5.

Speaking on behalf of local residents, Cllr Laura McCarthy told the meeting: ‘This case is possibly the worst I’ve seen in seven years.

‘As building work started it became apparent what was being constructed was considerably different to what had been approved.’

She added: ‘Not only does it not match neighbouring properties, the bricks don’t even match each other.’

But Mr Akhter slammed the comments made by councillors.

He told MailOnline: ‘I’ve never heard so much garbage, it was like a pantomime. It wasn’t professional one bit.

‘I have to pay £3,500 a month to live elsewhere.

‘I definitely didn’t want this hassle because this is my first home.

‘My time plan was a year, a year and a half maximum. I’ve packed my suitcases and been ready to move in for the last 15 months, it’s unnecessary.’

Mr Akhter has submitted an appeal to the council’s rejection and said he will continue to fight for his home.

However, neighbours believe he is being unreasonable as Solihull homes are expected to be kept a certain way.

Colin Lawrie, 81, pointed out the noise pollution the constant drilling has caused.

He said: ‘It’s been a real pain in the butt some of the things and the rubbish has been strewn all over the road and then noise is nearly every day.

‘I believe they are doing things not to rule and they did an extension without permission which is wrong.

‘To be truthful it looks okay. It’s just the way they’ve gone about things they don’t bother talking to people they just start banging away.’

During the Solihull committee meeting six members voted against the planning application and just one voted in favour, there were also two abstention.

Neighbour Maurice Goudge, 69, said: ‘I think it’s terrible it’s been going on for three years.

‘It was an old ladies house they moved her into a hospice it was empty for a bit then a guy bought it he started work stopped work and started again.

‘For nine months there was debris on the front garden.

‘What’s affected me is the noise and mess for three years they come about 9am and at one time they were doing Sundays. It’s just a racket.’

Another local, Diane Parmer, 71, is worried that the people moving to the area to renovate houses are ‘trashing’ the reputation of Solihull.

She told MailOnline: ‘I’ve been living here nearly 40 years because everyone’s coming here making it trash.

‘People from Birmingham and Coventry Road are coming here. They want to make their houses bigger.

‘It’s unfair for us I’m thinking of moving now because it’s not how I expected it to be, it is trashed.

‘This home extension is ruining the area because if one does it 10 more will. 

‘Whatever the reason they’ve done it but it shouldn’t be allowed.’