A Bollywood actor may see the backyard of his £900,000 residence dug up by bulldozers after council officers alleged that it had been raised with out planning permission.
Sumeet Singh Sarao, 39, has been locked in a bitter six-year planning dispute with Telford and Wrekin Council after spending 1000’s of kilos elevating the bottom stage in his backyard in Telford, Shropshire, by 1.4 metres.
Council officers have now ordered him to decrease the backyard by an extra 1.6 metres—20 centimetres beneath its top earlier than the landscaping work started.
Telford and Wrekin Council says the raised backyard has brought on an “unacceptable” lack of privateness for neighbours, although the boundary is lined with timber and bushes.
Mr Sarao mentioned he raised the decrease a part of the backyard in 2020 to convey it stage with the remainder of the plot. He insists the landscaping didn’t create views into any neighbouring properties.
Planning officers have since begun enforcement motion, requiring him to take away a considerable part of the raised rear backyard or danger having the council perform the work itself with bulldozers.
Mr Sarao mentioned he steered a number of compromises, together with planting further timber and shrubs to guard his neighbours’ privateness, however claimed planners had rejected each proposal.
Sumeet Singh Sarao, a Bollywood singer from Telford, has been ordered by his native council to decrease his backyard
The council claims the landscaping work has diminished his neighbours’ privateness
The industrial singer, who has lived on the property along with his mom and father for 14 years, mentioned he felt he was being “made out to be a felony” merely for elevating the backyard.
“I’m only a regular human and don’t trigger any hurt to anyone. It feels actually unfair,” he mentioned.
Mr Sarao mentioned the work introduced the decrease part of the backyard as much as the extent of the prevailing increased floor, successfully making a extra even plot.
He rejected the council’s argument that the adjustments had compromised his neighbours’ privateness.
“There’s already a thick hedge alongside the boundary that stops overlooking and is way taller than me—it simply doesn’t make sense,” he mentioned.
“Each my neighbour and I would wish a step-ladder to see over the fence anyway.
“I supplied to interchange the prevailing planting with a steady row of conifers to create an excellent stronger privateness display.
“However the council rejected the proposal, saying it might look too cumbersome, regardless of my makes an attempt to co-operate.
“I don’t perceive that argument when there are already mature timber and conifers alongside the identical boundary.”
Mr Sarao mentioned the council had instructed him to decrease the backyard by 1.6 metres, leaving it beneath the extent it was at earlier than the work was carried out.
He added: “I’ve spent round £8,000 to £9,000 on the backyard and put lots of work into it.
‘If I don’t comply, they may perform the work themselves and cost me for the fee.
‘It’s not smart as a result of they must take out partitions to get the bulldozers in.
‘These could be pointless and doubtlessly disruptive works. It simply doesn’t make sense to me.
‘I’ve tried repeatedly to discover a constructive resolution, however the council insists the backyard should be dug out and returned to its earlier stage.’
Mr Sarao raised the grass part in the back of his backyard to stage it along with his patio
Mr Sarao says the six-year dispute has brought on ‘important stress’ for his household.
He added: ‘The entire household has been affected by the uncertainty and the specter of enforcement motion.
‘I really feel as if I’m up towards a brick wall as a result of the council is unwilling to think about my proposals.
‘It seems like I’ve been pushed right into a nook.’
After finishing up the work himself throughout Covid, council planners obtained in contact to say he should apply for retrospective planning permission.
Telford & Wrekin Council says that neighbour amenity is ‘unacceptably harmed’ by overlooking and lack of privateness and it should act ‘to uphold the planning system and defend the amenity of neighbouring residents’.
Mr Sarao has been instructed he should dig out all the way down to 1,600mm (5.2ft) on the finish of the backyard nearest a boundary and make it slope to a depth of 900mm nearest the home (2.9ft).
He mentioned he’s not ignoring a current enforcement discover however has proposed to take away the retaining wall, introduce a sloping transition close to the boundary and add substantial landscaping and screening to guard the neighbours’ privateness and amenity.
He added: ‘The council has now contacted me to rearrange a gathering, though they haven’t indicated whether or not they’re keen to think about any alternate options.
‘We’re merely asking for honest therapy, correct engagement and an affordable alternative to agree an answer that protects neighbouring amenity whereas taking account of the sensible circumstances on the property.’
A council spokesperson mentioned the difficulty has been the topic of ongoing planning and enforcement investigations for quite a few years.
An enforcement discover was supported by an unbiased planning inspector following an attraction in September 2025.
Mr Sarao claimed his neighbours would wish a ‘step ladder’ to see into his backyard even after the works
The council spokesperson mentioned: ‘Since that point we have now engaged with the land proprietor, and most lately thought of a pre-application submission to discover a revised scheme for the positioning however have been unable to help that proposal in its proposed type and that the planning hurt couldn’t be satisfactorily addressed.
‘The Enforcement Discover was upheld by the Planning Inspectorate in September 2025, with an extra interval supplied for compliance.
‘Regardless of this, the required remedial works have nonetheless not been carried out and the positioning stays in breach of planning management. The Council has due to this fact suggested that it’s now contemplating additional formal motion to safe compliance.
‘This might embrace prosecution proceedings and/or works in default with prices recovered from the landowner.
‘While our choice stays to safe voluntary compliance, there comes some extent the place the Council should act to uphold the planning system and defend the amenity of neighbouring residents.
‘The Council has due to this fact requested for a timetable for implementation of the required remedial work.
‘Now we have additionally supplied to satisfy with the landowner in individual to work with him to resolve this matter as quickly as attainable.’
