An NHS consultant accused of building a ‘mini hotel’ on the site of a former bungalow in Milton Keynes has so far failed to comply with an enforcement notice to reduce its size.
Dr Manoj Srivastava, 48, has infuriated his neighbours by submitting a new planning application which will raise the brickwork of the current building by over a metre.
Milton Keynes council had ordered the radiologist to demolish part of the home in Portland Drive, Willen because it is too big.
Some locals described it as a ‘mini hotel’ and others a ‘care home’. He claimed he faced ‘racial discrimination’ and an ‘organised coup’ from his neighbours and the council.
But Andrew Herman, 38, of the Willen Residents Group said: “It has been three months since the enforcement notice was upheld on appeal and the owner has, so far, not undertaken any works to comply with the notice.
“He has now submitted a new application where he is proposing to make changes to the current building that he believes would be in accordance with the enforcement notice requirements. The issue is that these proposals would see brickwork of current building raised even higher, by over one metre.
“I think it is quite self-evident the owner is taking the mickey by what he proposes, which is something even worse than the Planning Inspector refused and stated was harmful and unacceptable.”
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Mr Herman said he and around 100 local people set up the Willen Residents Group. They raised £25,000 to pay for a barrister at the planning inquiry.
That is money they will not get back. He said there was no racism, saying: “Many people did not even know who the resident was. People here are not racist. It is simply a matter of fact the owner has built an unlawful house.”
Another neighbour said: “He bought the bungalow and knocked it down to build this place. It must have cost him a lot.
“I blame the council for not ensuring he stuck to the plans. They should have carried out more checks. What’s happened is that he has gone far beyond what he was supposed to.”
“I assume he had it built to house his whole family. He has a wife, a couple of kids and people from an older generation there. It is huge.”
Another neighbour said: “I don’t have a problem with him or the house. It is behind trees and is not an eyesore.”
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