Ex-mayor still has to remove structure (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Ex-mayor still has to remove structure

5:30pm Wednesday 20th February 2013 in News By Tarik Al Rasheed

A COUNCILLOR who landed in hot water with his own authority by building an illegal extension has still not removed the offending structure more than six years later.

Coun Tim Perry, a former mayor of Upton and a member of Malvern Hills District Council (MHDC), put up a wooden “working area” at the back of his Shipps Garage business in New Street, Upton, in 2006.

But he did not have planning permission and the council slapped an enforcement order on him demanding he pull it down.

However, the structure is still standing, a fact flagged up by Upton town councillor and New Street neighbour Simon Speers who said councillors should be aware of the matter when debating new plans for an extension at Shipps Garage.

Coun Perry told the Gazette he had not been ignoring the enforcement notice and had been having ongoing discussions with planning officers since losing an appeal against the enforcement notice.

He said that if his current planning application, which would see the wooden work area make way for a purposebuilt ground floor extension, is refused, he will pull the illegal structure down.

“They (the planning officers) have not pushed for it to come down. I am not simply ignoring it,” he said, adding he did not believe the issue had any bearing on his role as a councillor.

Coun Tony Penn, responsible for planning and housing at Malvern Hills District Council, said an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate had given Coun Perry until February 2008 to remove the structure.

“While we appreciate the unauthorised extension has remained for a much longer period, we can confirm that there have been various discussions with the owner over alternative proposals,” he said. “It was considered that the building could remain in the interim period as it was our opinion it was not causing serious harm to public amenity, partly due to the fact that it is not widely viewable.”

He said the council is reviewing the enforcement notice and is aware of the current planning application.

He said: “With regard to any possible issues related to members’ code of conduct, the council will look at the situation once the enforcement notice issue is resolved.”

Back in 2006 Coun Perry was forced to demolish a garage built without permission in his New Street garden.