Furious residents have claimed they are being forced to move because of a ‘monstrous’ back garden shed built by their neighbour.
Gurnam Singh, 40, was given the green light to build extensions to his garden shed and semi-detached house in Thurmaston, Leicestershire last May.
However, neighbours in the quiet estate on the outskirts of Leicester cannot believe the 13ft high ‘eyesore’ in Mr Singh’s back garden was given planning permission.
They say the structure – which was approved for use as a family gym – is as big as a small house and are concerned it will be used as living space as it has running water.
Two of the neighbours are planning to sell their homes – which they have lived in for between 14 to 25 years – and move away from the development they claim will block their sunlight and infringe on their privacy.
One neighbour told MailOnline: ‘It it a complete eyesore and it has devalued my house. Even the parish council objected and couldn’t believe it got through.’
Gurnam Singh, 40, got permission to build the shed extension last May
Neighbours are concerns the shed and accompanying extension to the rear of the house will block sunlight and infringe on their privacy
The 13ft high structure was given planning permission despite numerous complaints from locals
The 1950s property was bought by builder Mr Singh and his wife Ranjir Kaur in January last year with plans to redevelop it and turn in into a ‘dream family home.’
However, they have never lived in it and are currently having to fork out rent for alternative accommodation.
The father-of-two runs building firm Construction5 Ltd which is carrying out the renovation.
One of the two women putting her home on the market told MailOnline this week: ‘I feel I’m being driven out because of it.
‘I blame the owners, I blame the council. The development is a disgrace and should never have been allowed, full stop.’
The mother-of-three, who asked not be named, added: ‘I have lived here 25 years and now I’m going to sell up, if I can get anyone to buy the place now.
‘The planning authority didn’t even bother telling me and others that is had been approved.
‘If I wanted to live in a built up area I would have bought a house in the city.’
The woman claimed Mr Singh, who applied for the planning permission, ‘must know all the loopholes as a builder’.
She added: ‘I have met him at the property to raise my objections and he’s always been polite but at the end of the day he’s got what he wants and some of us don’t like it but the council has allowed it.’
She said her main objection to the stand-alone structure in Mr Singh’s back garden was its size and proximity to her property.
The householder continued: ‘It looks into my back bedroom windows and affects my privacy.
‘They knocked down a flat roof garage structure to build a single storey garden structure with a pitched roof.
‘The wall is right up against my fence so it’s no wonder I am annoyed.
‘It is being designated for use as a gym but it could be expanded to living space.
‘Who knows what will happen there?
‘The two storey house is also being made to three storey but they are saying it is just a extra floor dormer window.
‘Whatever, I am moving out because of it. I live here alone, with my grown up children sometimes staying, and it has put me under a lot of strain, and other people around here.
Neighbours have also complained about the noise from the building site which they say go on ‘all day and night’
Picture on the left shows Gurnam Singh’s house under construction while the picture on the right shows it before he bought it
‘Mr Singh knew it affected me and others and, out of respect, I feel the extensions should not have gone or be going ahead.
‘It used to be such a lovely area and now it in ruined. The extensions are to my left, right and centre, and it is bang, bang, bang all day with work going on.’
She added: ‘He bought the house in January 2023 from an elderly woman who had lived there for about £250,000 and by May had put in planning permission.’
Her next door neighbour, who has rented her semi for 14 years which overlooks the currently being developed property, exclaimed: ‘It’s a nightmare.
‘Not only have I got the garden building right in the view from my kitchen and bedroom windows, I have to put up with the main house being enlarged to the side, to the back, up to the roof with dormers.’
The tenant, who also asked not to be named, said: ‘My landlord objected to the plans, and so did I but the council lost my complaint. There were at least eight objections which were finally overruled.
‘No one in their right mind wants to live behind a three storey house, when it was two, and a massive garden shed type summer house building.
‘I feel I have no option but to give up my tenancy because it looks awful and impinges on my space, light and privacy.’
The woman said: ‘The property is being developed but remains empty. It is a construction site all the time – day and night – and you should see the c**p they are burning there.
‘The fumes, the flames blow over and you can’t even hang your washing out.’
Mr Singh’s new home-to-be has remained a building site as he has battled to win planning approval for his massive extensions from Charnwood Borough Council despite numerous complaints from neighbours.
His building firm offers extensions, conversations, renovations, groundworks and landscaping and whose motto is: ‘Builders who stand behind their work.’
Mr Singh said: ‘I don’t know why there is a problem with some people. We have done everything right and nothing wrong.’
Picture shows the completed ‘monstrous’ garden shed and works being done to the semi-detached house
The architect’s drawing on the left shows the house before construction began and the one on the right shows what Mr Singh proposes to build
He told how objections from neighbours and one in particular had caused setbacks to the development of his property, plus a financial strain.
The builder said: ‘We are paying a mortgage for that house and rent on another property to live in, and it is a struggle.
‘We have been given permission for a garden extension, boundary to boundary, but we have left a gap.
‘It will be a gym and leisure room and garden storage, and we are building a bigger house but not too big.’
His wife Ranjir Kaur told of the family’s planning ordeal, which has left her frustrated by delays.
She said: ‘We bought the property in January 2023 but have not been able to move into it because of the many delays. We are currently renting.’
She told MailOnline how one woman has been ‘very vindictive’ towards her family, saying: ‘We got planning permission but she is doing everything to try to sabotage it and she is circulating vicious lies.’
Mrs Kaur, who works for a charity, said: ‘We are trying to get a house built, and we want to finish the works and move in s a family. Is that too much to ask?
‘At the moment with the cost of living crisis we are losing out, paying more and more rent because of neighbours’ complaints which are holding us back they may be using this an ammunition.’
She told how, to appease locals’ concerns, they had changed heights and measurements to suit’
Mrs Kaur, who works in Corby, Northamptonshire, explained that the garden ‘shed’ was being converted to a gym for her sole use and for her husband on occasions.
She said ‘It will be a private gym, not a public one as some are suggesting,’ adding: ‘My husband plays cricket, professionally, for Loughborough.
‘When the neighbours complained, they got people to sign petitions, it really upset and concerned us.
‘I introduced myself to one complainant and explained we were building a dream house for our family.
‘We have two kids, aged two and three, and elderly parents in their 70s, and our plans going on is for them to move in so we can look after them.
‘I understand one of two of them said they were not happy and going to move.’
Mrs Kaur even claimed, during the planning battle, the family’s opponents unofficially moved part of their rear boundary, insisting: ‘They are making our lives Hell!’
‘One of the residents ripped out our concrete posts and moved it to make her garden bigger, and they have been trying to tarnish our reputation with allegations, all unfounded.
‘She has caused us a lot of trouble, and all we want is an improved and bigger home my husband is legally working to provide.’
Next door but one neighbour to the family Sukh Singh – no relation – said: ‘The house extension is going up and the garden shed development has been done. It is here.
Picture shows the front of Mr Singh’s future ‘dream’ home as it is being constructed
‘We overlook the garden and we have no complaints, and the family has been given an unfair, hard time by others. We feel sorry for them.
‘They are extending their house with planning permission, all legal and above board,
A spokesperson for the planning authority, Charnwood Borough Council, said they were ‘unable to comment on individual applications.’
The parish council backed fuming neighbours, saying: ‘Councillors are concerned that the proposed extension is an overdevelopment on this site.
‘They believe it will result in the loss of privacy to neighbouring properties at the rear of the development.’
But Charnwood Borough Council’s report approving the plans said: ‘The proposed development complies with the relevant development plan policies.
‘It would not result in any harm to neighbouring amenity.
‘t would not result in any detrimental visual harm to the character and appearance of the host dwelling, street scene or surrounding area.
‘It would not result in harm to highway safety.’
Laura Adams is a tech enthusiast residing in the UK. Her articles cover the latest technological innovations, from AI to consumer gadgets, providing readers with a glimpse into the future of technology.
