Brazen homeowner defies council order to demolish towering illegal MEGA-GARAGE – despite neighbours insisting ‘fortress’ has destroyed their lives
A brazen private ambulance driver has refused to demolish his illegal mega garage after angry neighbors described how the high-rise was ‘destroying’ their lives.
Daniel Toma, 41, built the giant castle-like metal garage next to his modest end-of-terrace home in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, without obtaining any planning permission.
The massive dark green compound, complete with towering electric gates and fences, stands 3.4 meters high and more than seven meters wide, dwarfing nearby fences and driveways.
Although ordered to demolish the monolith, Toma refused to comply, insisting that he needed a detached garage to house his ambulances.
The Romanian businessman defiantly told the Daily Mail: ‘I won’t take it down. ‘The local people have no problem with this.’
But angry neighbors had a very different view when our reporter visited the suburban street where his crudely built garage sits next to a primary school crosswalk.
Peter Loughlin, 74, whose view is now blocked, said: ‘This is an absolute disgrace. He should be ashamed of himself.
‘It ruined my vision. I’ve lived here for 30 years and it’s ruining my life. I can’t see outside properly.
Image: Giant castle-like metal garage, 3.4 meters high and more than seven meters wide
The roughly constructed garage (pictured) is located next to an elementary school crosswalk.
Picture: Daniel Toma, 41, who refused to remove illegal mega garage
‘When I sit in my chair and look out, I see a big, green campus. This is terrible. The people there said they could do whatever they wanted.
‘Well, they can’t. I have reported this to the council and will not stop until it is removed. “This is terrible.”
Mr Loughlin, who fears the garage will devalue his £350,000 terraced house, added: ‘It’s truly appalling. I was horrified.
‘I feel like I don’t want to live here anymore.’
Bermet Amanaeva, 40, who moved into his house in 2015, said he was ‘horrified’ when the structure was installed.
‘This is a nightmare. I have to look at it every day. It’s so ugly. Also, when they enter, they pass through an intersection. “It’s dangerous,” he said.
‘They just do what they want. It’s a strange place, you don’t see ambulances very often. Other cars are entering there. This makes me so angry.’
Other neighbors, including the one next door, had also filed formal complaints.
Peter Loughlin (pictured), 74, whose view is now blocked, said it had ‘ruined’ his life
Bermet Amanaeva (pictured), 40, who moved into the house in 2015, said she was ‘horrified’ when the structure was installed
Martin Suiter, 44, said it was a saga that had been going on for ‘months’.
He said: ‘It came out of nowhere. We all object to this. We told the man this was terrible. They don’t care.
‘What would the streets look like if everyone was allowed to do this? This would be a free for all.’
Hertsmere council refused retrospective planning permission and then took enforcement action, ordering Mr Toma to demolish the structure.
He appealed this decision, which was approved by the Planning Inspectorate, questioning why such a large and designed garage was necessary for a family home.
Mr Toma, whose ambulance business transports ‘mental health patients’ and ‘vulnerable young people’ and provides transport for ‘court hearings’, built the garage of his £600,000 home without obtaining permission from Hertsmere council.
