Bungalow leads to £10k fine

8:28pm Sunday 7th September 2008

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A father-of-two was ordered to pay £10,000 by a judge following a three-year battle over a bungalow he illegally built in his back garden.

Retired architect Nigel Cowell, 65, vowed to continue fighting despite being fined £5,000 with £5,000 costs at Oxford Crown Court. Cowell had denied breaching an enforcement notice, but was found guilty earlier this year and warned he would be fined if he did not comply.

Peggy Etiebet, prosecuting, said on Friday Cowell had permission to build a garage in his garden in Mill Lane, Old Marston, Oxford, but instead built a bungalow which he rented out.

She said the enforcement notice ordered Cowell to gut the bungalow's kitchen, which he had done, and lower the height of the roof - which he had not.

Cowell, defending himself, said he had genuinely tried to address the matter.

He said: "The local authority is being entirely unreasonable in this matter. I have not done any harm."

But Judge Christopher Compston told Cowell he had been given plenty of time to convert the bungalow back to a garage.

He said: "I did my level best to persuade Mr Cowell that it would be pertinent for him to obey the law - but he did not. The result was it went for trial in February 2008. There really was no defence and the jury were out for a mere 16 minutes before convicting him.

"I have no reason to doubt, having seen the plans, that it is an attractive building. In many ways it is sad, in such a crowded city, to see a home demolished and replaced by a garage. But that cannot affect what I have to do."

Speaking after the case, Cowell said: "I am certainly continuing to fight. I believe strongly in what I am doing. I am fighting for justice and common sense. I think it is a fight I ought to do on principle."

Asked if he was prepared to go to jail, he said: "It is an impossible question to answer."

His wife Jill added: "He is prepared to be a martyr - but not that much."