Homeowner Fined Over £3,500 for Breaching Planning Laws in Southampton

A Southampton homeowner has been fined more than £3,500 after failing to comply with a Planning Enforcement Notice issued by Southampton City Council over unauthorised building works.

Mr Mubashar Khan, the owner of the property on Hartington Road, was prosecuted by the council following a long-running planning dispute dating back to 2021.

Mr Khan originally applied for planning permission in early 2021 to construct a first-floor rear extension at his property. However, the application was refused due to concerns about the extension’s impact on neighbouring properties. Later that year, he submitted a revised proposal that addressed the initial concerns, and planning permission was subsequently granted.

Despite this approval, construction work in 2022 went beyond what had been authorised. The council’s Planning Enforcement team received a complaint, and an investigation found that the build had breached the terms of the approved plans.

In response, Mr Khan submitted a retrospective planning application in July 2022 in an attempt to regularise the changes. However, this application was refused, with planning officers citing a negative impact on neighbouring homes and harm to the design and character of the property.

Mr Khan appealed the decision, but in April 2023, a planning inspector dismissed the appeal, agreeing with the council that the unauthorised extension had caused harm to the area’s character and the living conditions of nearby residents.

Following the appeal’s dismissal, the council issued a Planning Enforcement Notice requiring Mr Khan to remove the unauthorised elements of the build. Failure to comply with such a notice is a criminal offence.

Despite this, Mr Khan did not take action to remove the unlawful construction. He was summonsed to Southampton Magistrates’ Court in December 2024, where he pleaded guilty to the offence.

At a sentencing hearing in August 2025, the court fined Mr Khan a total of £3,665, including court costs. As of the date of sentencing, the unauthorised works had still not been removed. The council has warned that further prosecutions will be considered if the enforcement notice continues to be ignored.

Councillor Sarah Bogle, Cabinet Member for Economic Development at Southampton City Council, said:

“When the Local Planning Authority makes a decision on a planning application it balances the rights of the applicant with the broader interests of the community, and it’s the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that what they build is in line with what’s been approved.

“Where owners, occupiers or developers go beyond the rules, we are committed to using the powers available to us to protect our communities and ensure the planning laws and policies that safeguard the health and wellbeing of local people are respected.”

Southampton City Council continues to monitor the situation and has reiterated its commitment to upholding planning regulations across the city.