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Landowner fined £20,000 for unauthorised works to listed building
Cristina Lago Deputy Editor
103 Bow Road (white front, fourth from left) is part of a row of listed buildings (Image: Tower Hamlets Council)
A landowner who carried out unauthorised works to a listed building in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets has been fined £20,000 after failing to comply with an enforcement notice.
The building is a residential three-storey Grade II-listed Building located in Bow Road in the east of the borough. It is one of a row of buildings which were all listed for their group value in 1973.
The council’s planning compliance team investigated the building alterations, which included the construction of a rear extension and installation of a uPVC window without listed building consent.
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The landowner installed a uPVC window without listed building consent (Image: Tower Hamlets Council)
In addition to the heritage concerns, the council found that the unauthorised extension was being used for poor-quality housing.
The council served a listed building enforcement notice requiring the removal of the extension and replacement of the window with a traditional timber sash window.
Landowner Samuel Atanda Jenyo did not comply with this notice and consequently attended Thames Magistrates’ Court on 15 November 2022, where he pleaded guilty.
Failure to comply with enforcement notice
On 18 January 2023 at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Atanda Jenyo was fined for an offence of failing to comply with the requirements of a listed building enforcement notice.
Councillor Kabir Ahmed, cabinet member for regeneration, inclusive development and housebuilding, said: “Listed buildings have their character and appearance protected by a special type of planning permission called listed building consent.
The unauthorised works included a rear extention (Image: Tower Hamlets Council)
“It is a criminal offence to make an unauthorised alteration affecting the special character of a listed building without consent and the council has enforcement powers to reverse unauthorised alterations.”
There are there are approximately 2,000 listed buildings in Tower Hamlets. Statutory listed buildings are designated by the government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport and are classified into three grades, including I, II* and II.
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