A Dagenham landlord has been fined more than £20,000 after repeatedly ignoring a planning enforcement notice.
Ijaz Hussain bought the property at 92 Burnside Road (main image) - originally a single-family home - in 2004. In May 2020, Barking and Dagenham Council’s planning enforcement team discovered that it had been unlawfully subdivided into two self-contained flats and rented out to tenants without planning permission.
Hussain was advised of the breach and invited to either submit a retrospective planning application or restore the property to its original condition. When he failed to take action, the council served an enforcement notice in December 2021, requiring the removal of the second kitchen and internal modifications within six months.
The Planning Inspectorate dismissed an appeal and upheld the notice in April 2023. A follow-up inspection in January 2024 confirmed that the property remained in breach.
Hussain appeared at Romford Magistrates’ Court, where he admitted the offence and was fined £10,000, ordered to pay a £4,000 victim surcharge, and £6,142 in legal costs to Barking and Dagenham Council, payable within three months.
Councillor Syed Ghani (pictured)cabinet member for enforcement and community safety, says: “This case demonstrates that while we are always willing to work with residents to resolve planning issues, we will not tolerate those who ignore the law.
"Our planning enforcement team is committed to ensuring that housing standards are upheld and that our communities are protected from unlawful development.”
Pic credit: Google Streetview
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