London, July 8 (IANS): A British Indian man who extended his home illegally in London has been fined more than 40,000 pounds (around $68,475), a media report said Tuesday.
Mayur Naturbhai Patel built a major rooftop extension to his four-bedroom terraced house without planning permission in the affluent Kensington neighbourhood in central London, the Trinity Mirror reported.
Isleworth Crown Court in London Monday fined Patel 15,000 pounds and confiscated 25,350 pounds from him.
Patel was also ordered to pay the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea costs of 3,580 pounds, risking 15 months in prison if he failed to pay the confiscation order in three months.
Patel pleaded guilty to breaching the Town and Country Planning Act, 1990, in the court June 10.
Judge Phillip Matthews, in his remarks, said he thought Patel had acted with the "utmost stupidity" and that it was no mitigation to say he relied on the advice of architects.
Patel bought the five-storey house spread over 1,741 square feet for 1.65 million pounds in November 2011.
In March this year, the house was put up for sale for 3.35 million pounds.
Patel's neighbours complained to the local council's enforcement officers to inspect the alterations or unauthorised extension which harmed the appearance of the local Norland Conservation Area.
Authorities gave Patel four months to restore the property to ensure he did not profit financially from the extra floor space.
Patel, who has no previous convictions, contended that he received verbal confirmation from his architect and a planning officer, saying the alterations would be acceptable.
"I am very pleased that the court has made this ruling. We were determined that Mr. Patel should not gain financially from his illegal development," the report quoted Tim Coleridge, the council's planning policy head, as saying.