Bird loving couple hit with large council tremendous after constructing ‘unauthorised’ house extension to deal with over 100 pigeons to the dismay of their neighbours who might scent them burning faeces

A bird loving couple have been hit with a £6,000 fine after they built an extension to house 100 pigeons on their home.

Rifat Begum and Zahid Khan caused a stink among their neighbours, who complained that they could smell burning bird faeces.

The residents also raised concerns about the constant cooing and fluttering coming from the flock of pigeons living nearby.

The row led to a planning enforcement battle after the couple appealed to the Planning Inspectorate over their structure.

However the Inspectorate found the extension caused ‘significant harm’ to their neighbours and the surrounding area in Wexham, Buckinghamshire.

The couple were then taken to court by Slough Borough Council over the unlawful development.   

Begum and Khan of Buckinghamshire, were found guilty of breaching a planning enforcement notice relating to their extension.

Rifat Begum and Zahid Khan have been ordered to tear down an extension on their home which has been used to house more than 100 pigeons

The pair pleaded guilty at East Berkshire Magistrates’ Court on December 1, the Slough Observer reported.

In July last year the Planning Inspectorate upheld an enforcement notice, saying that the structures were poorly designed and visually intrusive.

Concerns were also raised that the structures were disproportionately large.

The inspector said that the couple were selling both the pigeons themselves and pigeon food at the house.

During a visit to the site, the inspector also witnessed and smelled the remains of a bonfire in the garden.

However, four months later, the council found that the outbuilding was still at the house and the large structures had been moved rather than demolished.

The case was then taken to court.

Begum and Khan were given a court bill of £3,301 each, including fines of £200, a victim sur charge of £120 and prosecution costs of £2,981.25.

The money will be deducted from the couple’s benefits.

Local Councillor Paul Kelly said: ‘This case represents a serious and long-standing breach of planning control that caused real harm to neighbours and the wider community.

‘The Planning Inspectorate was clear that the unauthorised structures and intensive pigeon-keeping were harmful, intrusive and unacceptable.

‘Despite every opportunity to comply, the defendants failed to take appropriate action.’