W. Husband was forced to spend £25,000 to demolish his house beyond limits after the Council stipulates a “offensive” extension

An upset pensioner faces a £25,000 demolition bill, while an extension of the illegal roof stretches out only to his home just 3 inches.

Warren Benton, 73, was fined £16,000 after parliament officials ruled that the building did not meet the exact specifications of the approved plan.

His penthouse is considered 60 cm taller than the signed plan, and the cladding extends to the original footprint rather than putting it back as needed.

The violation means that while neighbors in Edel, West Yorkshire did not complain about the “shocking” extension, it must be removed, Bradford Council said.

The Chief of the City Hall accused Mr Benton of deliberately ignoring the problem for 15 years and violating the rules of the reserve.

But the retired electrician defended the construction and said the lasting law enforcement action against him had become a “nightmare.”

He told MailOnline: “When I bought it, the building actually fell. There were addicts in the basement and beer cans were everywhere.

“If I didn’t step in, it would be just another abandoned house.

“I admit I made a mistake, but in my opinion, it was a small loophole. As far as I know, no one has ever complained. None of the neighbors said there was any problem with their construction.

“To me, it seems really harsh to them that they want me to tear down my home.”

In September 2009, Mr. Benton acquired the 19th-century office building at an auction and had approved plans to add a third floor.

But when the work started, it quickly became clear that it was too small, and this was ignored when the Council initially swept the development.

Mr Benton said a height of 60 cm must be increased to make the interior living space habitable.

The plan also said the extension must be withdrawn from the existing building, which Mr Benton did not do.

In November 2009, planning enforcement wrote to him, pointing out the unauthorized increase.

Despite efforts to preserve the property, the Council issued an enforcement notice in 2010 requiring the demolition of additional floors.

The committee said the extension was “too shocking” in idle and green reserves and “destroyed the street scene”.

Mr Benton said: “I don’t just punch something together. I put in the steel beams, fix the walls, and then solid them again.

“Sadly, I was treated like a criminal when I just wanted to do the right thing and help the building. But I do accept that I made a mistake.

“It lasted for a long time, yes, I sometimes bury my head on the beach.

“This whole thing has been under pressure for years.”

During a court hearing earlier this month, Mr Benton was fined £12,000 and ordered an additional £4,000 payment to avoid complying with the Council’s enforcement notice.

Mr Benton also faces a heavy demolition bill. While the Council told the court that the estimated demolition cost would be between £15,000 and £25,000, the family said the figure had been “pulled out of the thin air” and could be quite a bit.

Bradford Crown Court Judge Colin Burn acknowledged that Warren had no intention but said the extension was inconsistent with the original plan permit.

During the construction process, Warren cared for his late wife, who suffered from vascular dementia while also attempting to complete the renovation.

He said he didn’t want to worry about the stress of his family’s planning issues, which is why it hasn’t been resolved for so long.

“It broke the pressure on my dad,” said son Connor, 32, who helped build the project.

Mr Benton claimed that the property would be decayed if he did not start his massive renovation (pictured, property before the extension).

Mr Benton (pictured) accused the Bradford Council of treating him like a criminal

“He didn’t even break down and talked about it. This has been going on for years and it makes everything worse.

The attitude of the Council is incredible. They are talking about the mistake of demolishing the house, which is basically just a few centimeters too high.

People think we just want to make money from it, but that’s not at all. We bought a bankrupt property at the auction and wanted to repair and sell it so that my parents could retire.

“At the end of the day, they’re talking about demolishing the homes of widow pensioners – people who have spent their entire lives supporting their families.

“The Council’s response is meaningless and without compassion.”

Judge Bourne said to Mr Benton’s judgment: “The extension you build is offensive when it comes to planning permission.

Images of the property show that the extension appears to be a little harsh in a row of terraced houses.

“The notice was issued in August 2010 and has not been complied with in May 2025.

“This is a building in the reserve – from an amateur perspective, this extension is inconsistent with the surrounding buildings.

The Council estimates that the demolition will cost Mr Benton £15,000 to £25,000, but his son says they think the actual cost will increase more

“This clearly undermines the planning control program, not only in this area, but often.”

He added: “This is the Council’s obligation to maintain planned controls.”

Mr Benton said in his apartment, above the three tenants’ apartments: “I lost my sleep for this. My wife has passed away and now I am troubled by this threat of fines and demolition.

“Where would I live if I had to demolish my home? I could move to an apartment downstairs, but that meant kicking out one of my tenants, which was unfair to them.

“I hope we find some kind of compromise. I have asked the architect to make plans and hope the Council will be satisfied. We just hope they will interact with IS.