Planning enforcement breach leads to court action

Failing to comply with a Planning Enforcement Notice has led to a day in court.

The council had issued a Planning Enforcement Notice due to the lack of planning permission and illegal use of an outbuilding for accommodation at a property in Thurston Road, Slough, as well as the addition of a single storey rear extension.

The notice required the use of the building as a self-contained property to stop, the removal of the kitchen and shower room from the building, the removal of all plumbing and pipework in connection to the kitchen and shower room, and to demolish the self-contained outbuilding and single storey rear extension in its entirety.

It also ordered the removal from the land of all materials, rubbish, debris, plant and machinery resulting from compliance with the notice’s requirements.  

The notice was issued on 7 August 2023, taking effect a month later, and giving six months for compliance.

The defendant, Pravinsingh Boodoo, accepted breaching two of the requirements of the notice, and partially accepted breach of a further two requirements. They argued they had stopped using the outbuilding for accommodation and had begun removing the plumbing, prior to 8 March 2024, which was during the six month compliance period.

The defendant entered a guilty plea when the case was heard at Slough Magistrates’ Court on Friday 17 April 2026.

Pravinsingh Boodoo was ordered to pay a £330 fine, £3,534.70 in court costs and £132 in victim surcharge, bringing the total to £3996.70.

Daniel Ray, Director of Planning, said: “This case serves as a reminder that planning enforcement matters and we take breaches seriously.

“Planning laws are there for a reason and if you are served an Enforcement Notice, you must do all you can to comply within the given timeframes, or you could end up in court too.”