A bitter planning row was brought to an end when a garage which the owner says has stood for 20 years was demolished by Hillingdon Council.

The council said owner Syed Hussain had failed to heed repeated warnings.

Its ‘beds in sheds’ team fenced off an area close to the building in the property in Pole Hill Road, Hayes, on the morning of Monday, June 23, and demolition work has continued this week.

The council said the eyesore had originally started out as a one-storey garage and was then turned into two-storeys, making it a ‘visually dominant building that was out of keeping with the area’.

A digger sits on top of rubble at 87, Pole Hill Road, as council officers demolish an outbuilding used as 'beds-in-sheds' accommodation.

Once council officers gained entry, they discovered the building had already been fitted with a kitchen and appliances, showing all the signs of becoming a lived-in property, or ‘bed in shed’.

Although it has demolished an illegal extension before, this is the first time it has had to take direct action against an outbuilding of this kind and complete the demolition works itself.

It says it will seek to recoup all costs from the owner.

A planning inspector has already dismissed an appeal by Mr Hussain against a council enforcement notice to demolish the building, and two applications to judicially review the appeal decision at the High Court were refused. Mr Hussain was left to pay the legal costs.

Councillor Keith Burrows, cabinet member for planning, said: “This building is an absolute eyesore and we have received a number of complaints about it from residents so I am pleased to see this matter finally being resolved.

“We tried to reason with Mr Hussain and gave him plenty of opportunity to demolish the building himself but have taken the decision to intervene and do the work ourselves, at the cost of Mr Hussain.”