A BUILDER who erected a four-bedroom bungalow without planning permission in the countryside has been ordered to pull it down.

Planners acted after learning that the building had been constructed unlawfully on the former grounds of Yorkley Court Gate house on Lydney Road.

When they visited the site in May, opposite the entrance to the listed Yorkley Court Farm House, they also found a residential static caravan had been installed without permission, and a large hard standing area created.

Planning permission to renovate sheds on the land dating back to 1999 had been exceeded as well, with extensions connected to the bungalow, while there was also an unauthorised portacabin, Forest councillors were told last week.

A report by planners said: “The owner has constructed a new four-bedroom bungalow attached to the existing outbuildings within the last 18 months. It appears that he has sought to conceal this within the site.”

It seemed that he had also tried to hide the static caravan, used by two of his family members, from view, it added.

“The owner has stated that the enlargement of the outbuildings had been undertaken many years previously, but this contradicts the 2014 aerial photograph held by the council showing that these works had yet to be undertaken,” the report continued.

A “significant amount of the site” had been concreted at an earlier stage, also without permission, along with large access gates with stone pillars and high walls.

“It is considered that the nature of the character of the land has changed significantly from a rural character to that of an urban character by constructing the unauthorised bungalow and stationing of the static caravan and portable building,” councillors were told.

The drainage from the hard standing areas was straight onto the road, and was viewed by the flood risk engineer as “unacceptable”.

“These works are considered totally out of keeping with the existing rural character,” said planners, while being next to a 60mph road in a rural location, it was not “sustainable development”.

Councillors at the Tuesday, August 8, Forest planning committee meeting voted for enforcement action.

The owner must stop living on the site and demolish the bungalow, outbuildings and drainage and remove the caravan within 18 months, and the portacabin within six months.

If he fails to respond to the enforcement notice, then the council can enforce the demolition and removal with an injunction.