Landowner fined £20k over unauthorised extension to listed building

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets has successfully prosecuted a property owner who built an unauthorised extension to a residential Grade II listed Georgian terrace in Bow, East London.

Landowner Samuel Atanda Jenyo pled guilty in November 2022 to failing to comply with an enforcement notice requiring him to tear the rear extension down and replace a uPVC window with a traditional timber sash window.

The council said that the unauthorised extension, which featured a yellow rendering and wooden patio doors on the ground level, was being used for poor-quality housing in addition to raising heritage concerns.

Atanda Jenyo attended Thames Magistrates' Court – situated directly opposite his property on Bow Road, East London – in November 2022.

His sentencing took place in January 2023 at Snaresbrook Crown Court, where he was fined £20,000 for an offence of failing to comply with the requirements of a Listed Building Enforcement Notice.

Commenting on the prosecution, Councillor Kabir Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Inclusive Development and Housebuilding, said: "In this case, the building in question forms part of a row of listed buildings which were all listed for their group value in 1973. Listed buildings hold immense historic and architectural value and we must protect them."

He added: "Prosecution is always a last resort and doesn't happen very often. In fact, most of the reported breaches of planning control are resolved informally, through negotiation or approval of retrospective applications and without needing to serve a notice.

"However, this case sends a clear message to all landowners, unauthorised works to Listed Buildings will not be tolerated. The council has a statutory duty to manage the borough's diverse heritage assets and will do so even if the consequence is a steep fine."

Adam Carey