A man who transformed his front garden into a car park ‘made fun of the council’ by flouting the conditions of his planning application.

Mr Patel paved over his garden on Butterfield Road in Bassett to make way for a seven-space car park.

But this ‘unsightly’ work – involving digging up the lawn and chopping down a tree - did not form part of his original plans.

Speaking at the planning and rights of way panel on Tuesday night, Cllr John Savage said: “It’s really infuriating for a lot of neighbours when they don’t comply with the application, and it looks like they are making fun of the council, but we are where we are with it.”

He was instructed to reintroduce greenery to the area. But Mr Patel applied to plant a smaller tree and a strip of different coloured tarmac in the middle of the drive.

The panel deemed on Tuesday night that the lawn ‘still needs to be increased in size’.

Planning officer Anna Coombes said: "Whilst the original landscaping works were being undertaken, the driveway was actually extended to full width of the property and a breach of land control was identified.

“It wasn't implemented in accordance with the approved landscaping scheme, so this application has come forward.

“Works have been undertaken to start reinstating the lawn to be in accordance with the landscaping scheme that was previously approved, but there is still work to be done.”

Cllr James Baillie voiced his frustration at the works.

He said: “It is a little bit frustrating when someone goes against the planning application and then comes back with another one to try and do what they have already done.

“Having said that, nothing particularly bothers me too much and it is what it is.”

The new planning application was unanimously approved.