London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

Incredible pictures show five mansions worth £1million reduced to rubble

Incredible pictures show five mansions worth £1million reduced to rubble

ASTONISHING photos show the demolition of five mansions worth £1million each after they were built "too big" - leaving homeowners devastated.

The almost complete six-bed properties were found to be up to a third bigger and in different locations than allowed under planning rules.

Five mansions each worth £1million have been demolished after being built in breach of planning regulations

The properties in Bolton were razed to the ground after being built too big

Councillors initially ordered their demolition in 2018, but it took four more years for the work to be carried out after developers appealed


Their plot is now little more than a pile of rubble after the final home was razed to the ground this week.

Councillors ordered the demolitions on the West Pennine Moors near Bolton, Lancs, in 2018.

But legal wrangling with developer Sparkle Developments and pleas from homeowners meant the work to take them down did not start until May last year.

An inquiry heard how plot one had a 31 percent bigger footprint than allowed, while plot two was 19 percent bigger, plot three 32 percent bigger and plot four 33 percent bigger.

The developer had claimed the enforcement notice issued by the council to demolish the homes was excessive and too harsh to remedy any breach in planning regulations.

And Elan Raja, who owns one of the mansions, told the hearing he'd faced a "nightmare" as he begged for his house to be left standing.

He said he paid £1,057,000 for the plot in 2016 - but has since spent more than £215,000 on the rental of an alternative property and other costs.

"It has had life-changing consequences for me," he said.

"I feel trapped in a vicious circle with deepening financial pressures and effects on my family.

"Every day feels like I'm waking up to a nightmare. The best way to describe it is a pressure cooker."

In spite of his pleas, the properties have now been torn down.

Councillor Andy Morgan said: “It’s the right thing to do.

"There are two applications for individual plots to be built with slight alterations.

“The intent is to rebuild them and save much of the materials.”

What to know about planning permission


While minor improvements to your home may not need planning permission, any major works will need the council's go-ahead.

You'll need planning permission if you're going to build a new property, make a major change to your existing home, or change the use of a building.

To find out if you need permission, contact your local council.

You can also search a register of planning decisions, to object or comment on proposed works in your area.

After you apply, you local authority will decide whether to grant permission.

It will take into account factors such as the number, size and appearance of the buildings, and how your development would affect the surrounding area.

You'll usually find out the council's decision within eight weeks.

If you're not granted permission, you might be able to appeal.

If you carry out works that require permission without getting it, you can be served an enforcement notice, which will order you to undo all the changes you've made.

You can appeal an enforcement notice, but it's illegal to ignore it.

Homeowners have been left devastated by the decision

The almost complete six-bed properties were found to be up to a third bigger and in different locations than allowed

Councillor Andy Morgan said: 'It’s the right thing to do. The intent is to rebuild them and save much of the materials'


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×