TIME finally ran out this week for a Tavistock businessman who built an extension to his Down Road property without planning permission.
An enforcement order has been served on Mark Bassett, requiring the single story building to be demolished by the end of the week.
But a frustrated Mr Bassett has vowed to fight on, claiming the situation defied common sense.
Stephen Gill, planning chief at West Devon Borough Council, said Mr Bassett applied for planning permission for an annexe in 1999, which was refused. An appeal by Mr Bassett was rejected by the planning inspector.
Mr Gill said Mr Bassett could have built a garage at the property without planning permission, under permitted development rights.
Mr Gill said: ?He has put this building up which visually is quite clearly a residential annexe. We took action against that and his claim that it was a garage was held to be false by the government inspector, who found against Mr Bassett.?
He said the planning inspector?s belief that Mr Bassett had originally intended to build an annexe was crucial in dismissing his appeal.
Mr Gill said the borough council has refused many requests for residential developments in the Down Road area because they do not comply with planning policy.
He said: ?Normally planning authorities are criticised for slowness and the fact the enforcement system is slow.
?This is a very good example of the effectiveness of the planning enforcement system. Having gone through all the hoops he has exhausted every avenue.
?We haven?t fallen for the claims that this was a garage, neither has the government inspector.?
Mr Gill said during the last three years there had been ?considerable complaints? from neighbours about Mr Bassett?s extension and he thanked the public for their patience during this time.
But this week Mr Bassett, speaking to the Times from the demolition site, said the situation was ?ridiculous? ? and said he was going to re-build the ?garage and playroom? ? to an even bigger size.
?You can imagine the upset this has caused. The whole lot will have cost me about £110,000, which works out at a very expensive playroom and garage,? said Mr Bassett, who said the extension had never been used as an annexe.
He said he has obtained ?lawful development certificates? which meant he could legally re-construct exactly the same building, to a larger size ? without planning permission.
?It?s absolutely bizarre, there?s no logic to it,? said Mr Bassett, who claimed it was purely a matter of his word against the planning inspector as to whether he had originally intended to construct an annexe.