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A family who built a 5ft hill in their back garden have been ordered to flatten it and demolish a granny annexe after losing a war with the council.
Rom Panday, 63, raised the level of his back garden to make it more accessible, a move he says was intended to ensure his outdoor space was easier to use in older age.
The revamp also saw an outbuilding constructed at the end of his garden near Charlton, south London.
But despite no complaints from neighbours on either side of his semi-detached home, council planners launched enforcement action ordering him to raze the structure and return the garden to its original level.
Greenwich council officers claimed raising the ground invaded neighbours’ privacy, because Mr Panday could easily see into their gardens.
But residents have revealed the did not object to the development and described Mr Panday as a ‘good neighbour’.
Ahmed Abdi, who has lived next door for two decades, told the Daily Mail: ‘I don’t see any problem with it at all. I don’t think they’re invading any privacy on my side.
‘I didn’t complain at all. They’re good neighbours. I don’t see any problem.
The Panday family claim they raised the height of their garden by 1.5meters to ‘make it more accessible’
Rom Panday (far right) and his family, who have lived in their Greenwich home for over years are now battling their council
Aerial pictures of the new garden show a large annex raised at the back of the space
‘It’s up to them, what the council decide, but if you ask me I don’t have any problem.
‘They’re good neighbours, and I don’t have any issue with the extension.’
The enforcement notice, issued in June 2023, accused Mr Panday of carrying out unauthorised development, including the erection of a concrete and brick outbuilding and the raising of ground levels across his rear garden.
The annexe – measuring approximately 7 metres wide and 4 metres deep – sits at the far end of the garden, while the ground level across the entire plot was raised by around 1.5 metres.
Mr Panday appealed the decision, arguing that the council had overstated the scale of the works and that the changes caused no real harm.
He argued that the steps down to the original garden could become difficult in older age.
However, the planning inspector dismissed the appeal, despite admitting: ‘Adjoining neighbours are supportive.’
The unassuming family home has become a battleground for Greenwich council
Piles of dirt can be seen on the edge of the newly raised garden
When approached by the Mail, Mr Panday declined to comment further on the matter
In her written verdict, Ms Watson concluded that the raised garden created a ‘much more intensive form of overlooking’ than would normally be acceptable.
She said: ‘The resultant garden levels enable anyone standing in the garden to look down onto the full length of the gardens on either side at very close range.’
The annexe itself escaped some criticism, with the inspector finding that its windows did not directly overlook neighbouring homes.
But Ms Watson ruled that the very act of walking along the entire length of the raised garden to access the building caused a loss of privacy for neighbours.
Although the inspector acknowledged that Mr Panday’s neighbours supported him, she ruled her decision must also consider future residents.
Mr Panday, who declined to speak, was handed nine months to return the garden to its original state, demolish his annexe and remove all construction debris.
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Family in £500k home at war with council after building five foot HILL in back garden and erecting granny annexe at the top
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