In what was once a peaceful corner of the picturesque village of Stoke Poges in Buckinghamshire, a fierce dispute has broken out.
Neighbors are up in arms about a strikingly large and unfamiliar extension on a £1 million home—one they say appeared practically overnight, without them even knowing about it until it was done.
Neighbors Shocked by the Unexpected New Look
Residents describe the new addition as a “horrific” transformation that breaks planning rules and stands out like a “Los Angeles McMansion” in the middle of a traditional English village.
Many locals feel the extension doesn’t fit the character of the area at all.
Tracey Harvey, who’s lived on the street for over two decades, shared her frustration: “It’s shocking to look at.
It might fit in Hollywood, but not here. We need more houses, but when people try to build, the rules are strict.
Yet somehow this got through—it feels like a joke.”
Her husband Frank, aged 88, echoed the sentiment: “We’re all a bit down about it.
People just take a chance and do what they want.
It’s happening everywhere, and I don’t understand it.”
Planning Permission Breaches Under Fire
The dispute centers around the work done by the property owner, Jag Bahia.
Stoke Poges Parish Council and local residents accuse him of ignoring the planning permission that was originally granted.
The extended garage, roof changes, and even window placements reportedly don’t match what Buckinghamshire Council approved.
One local resident pointed out that the house has grown too large for its plot, calling for stronger consequences if planning rules have been broken.
“It’s way too big for where it is, and it’s horrific,” she said.
“If there’s a fine, it should be more than £20,000 to send a proper message.
Rules exist for a reason, so why should anyone get away with breaking them? It seems to come down to who has the money to throw at it.”
Frustrations Over Unaddressed Complaints
The tension doesn’t stop with the extension itself.
A neighbor, who asked to remain anonymous, said they had reported builders multiple times to the Environment Agency for burning materials in the garden during construction, but nothing was done.
“It’s a shame the local authority isn’t enforcing the rules properly,” they said.
“Instead, it feels like they’re turning neighbors against each other.
Who really wants to be at odds with the people next door?”
Growing Community Resistance
Julie Devonald, who’s been living on Gerrards Cross Road for 33 years, described some residents as fed up with the situation. “Some people are very cheeky.
You give them an inch, and they take a mile,” she said.
“Just because they did it, doesn’t mean they should get away with it.”
Others are preparing for what they’re calling a “planning battle,” with the parish council formally calling in the application for Buckinghamshire Council’s East and South Area Planning Committee to review.
Official Steps and Upcoming Decisions
The property, which was sold for £1,225,000 back in 2020, is now under scrutiny.
The parish council argues that the extensive changes to the house are an inappropriate overdevelopment, harming the traditional character and setting of the neighborhood.
Councilor Saera Carter revealed that the parish council had to bring in an outside expert for the first time ever to make sense of the complicated planning application and the changes that were made.
“We kept looking at it saying, ‘this doesn’t make sense,’” she said.
The planning committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, June 10, to make a decision on the application.
Awaiting Response from the Property Owner
Efforts have been made to reach out to Mr. Bahia for comment on the situation, but no official statement has been released yet.