Demolition looms for ‘unapproved' £220k home that became eyesore

Yahoo

14-06-2025

A Herefordshire builder faces having to demolish an incomplete house in a prominent spot following a planning wrangle going back a decade and a half.
Martin Rohde believed he was entitled to build the house, which then became two semi-detached houses, at Duke's Walk by Leominster's Etnam Street car park.
This was substantially built in 2018-19 – though Mr Rohde claimed work began on the site in 2011, meaning it could no longer be challenged, and sought a lawful development certificate confirming this.
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But Herefordshire Council refused, saying there were 'significant anomalies' in Mr Rohde's account of this period.
This led to him being issued with an enforcement notice in late 2019 to demolish the building, and with the building still standing, the council then sought a court injunction.
The kitchen in the Duke's Walk house A planning appeal against the enforcement bought Mr Rohde some time. But this has now been refused a government-appointed planning inspector, who noted a 'surprising degree of consistency' between the several sworn statements supporting Mr Rohde's claims.
The court had earlier ruled that in the event of this happening, the injunction order would be granted. This is now due come into force on July 14, from which Mr Rohde has two months to comply.
The lounge in the Duke's Walk house 'So my choices are to demolish the house, to take the case to the High Court, or to try to sell it to someone else who might have more luck,' Mr Rohde said.
The first course of action would mean writing off around £220,000 he has sunk into the project, he added.
And while the case has dragged on, the house, which was '90 per cent built', has fallen into a forlorn state. Part of the roof is missing leading to weather damage, while intruders have repeatedly slipped through the fencing to squat or simply to smash it up.
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A spokesperson for the council said it 'will be monitoring progress on site over the coming months and is having discussions with Mr Rohde regarding possible alternative uses for the land'.
They added: 'It is the developer's responsibility to ensure that the correct planning permission is in place before they begin a development.
'This include ensuring that development is started within the correct timescale and carried out in accordance with approved plans – neither of which has been done in this case.'