A man and a woman from Leeds have been fined a total of £16,000 and ordered to pay £2,000 in costs after they repeatedly breached planning regulations which a magistrate called 'premeditated and blatant'.

Humrazz Shahid and Siakha Kuser Pinnu from 210 Oakwood Lane in Leeds admitted failing to comply with an enforcement notice served on a building they had constructed in their back garden.

The detached structure was higher than allowed under permitted development rules and included a roof light which overlooked the bedrooms of a neighbouring property.

The notice, which they ignored, required them to reduce the height of the building to below four metres and to install obscured glass in the roof light.

It also banned any further permitted development on the site; so any future dormer or additional windows would require planning permission.

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The court heard that Mr Shahid and Mrs Pinnu had breached a further two enforcement notices, although no penalty was imposed.

These related to boundary walls and a strip of land in the back garden. Although permission was granted for the land to be used as an extension to the garden, the couple were told to submit full details of their plans for a wall or fence first. They failed to do so.

Instead, a 2.5 metre wall was constructed in block work which gave the impression of a fortress. It was dubbed the 'Berlin Wall' by a neighbour.

The couple have been told to reduce part of the wall to two metres and remove altogether the entire section that doesn't have permission.

Issues relating to a front boundary wall and gates and a raised area of decking, constructed even though permission had been refused remain outstanding, but planning officers are hopeful that another prosecution will be unnecessary given the outcome of this court case.

Mr Shahid has now been in touch with Leeds City Council and is understood to be taking steps to put right the unauthorised works.

Councillor Andrew Carter, Executive Board Member with responsibility for development said: "The council will not stand by and do nothing when people choose to flout the planning rules or ignore enforcement notices. I hope this case sends a clear message that we will take whatever action is necessary to deal with unauthorised building works.

"Mr Shahid and Ms Pinnu are £18,000 out of pocket because they chose to deliberately disregard the regulations.

"They have made the lives of their neighbours very difficult and I am pleased we now have the backing of the court to put this situation right."

(CD/BMcC)