Suzie Cavadino was told she had to demolish her house extension by the end of last week
Suzie Cavadino at her house extension in Aughton(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
A mum has claimed her head has “fallen off” after she was told to rip down the first floor of her two-storey house extension she says cost her £180,000. Suzie Cavadino, originally from Bootle, moved into her home on Sunnyside in Aughton almost two decades ago.
The mum-of-four spent £180,000 on an extension to replace her old conservatory more than two years ago. The extension was completed in December 2022 following delays and issues with builders. It holds the house’s boiler, kitchen and a bedroom, which has been split in two for two of her children.
However, the ECHO reported last month how West Lancashire Council ordered her to rip down her extension by Friday, April 24, with Suzie having claimed officers from the local authority told her it is “out of keeping with the character of the surrounding area”.
Suzie, who lives with her four children aged between 12 and 19, claims the builder she employed to complete the work told her she would not need planning permission to replace the conservatory with the two-storey extension.
But following completion of the work, she was notified by the council she in fact did need consent for the work.
The deadline has now passed, with Suzie claiming she was quoted £50,000 to have the extension taken down and set up a GoFundMe in order to raise funds to help pay for the work.
Since the deadline has passed, Suzie told the ECHO she has been ordered to now remove the first floor of the extension, keeping the ground floor kitchen where her boiler is kept.
Aerial shots of Suzie’s home from 2021 and 2026
She has also been given a further six months to have the work completed before the council organises the work. Despite this, Suzie still claims the demands from West Lancashire Council will see her family “split up forever” as two of her children will be unable to live in the house without the two bedrooms.
Suzie said: “They finally responded and said we can keep the kitchen but upstairs has to go. It’s good that we’re keeping the kitchen but we’re still in a position where our family is going to be split up forever.
“They’ve given us the extension but really we’re still in the same position.”
She added: “We’ve had no one reach out to help and the GoFundMe never got off the ground. My head has fallen off, I have to put on a front for the kids but I’m just shouldering the burden myself. We either sink or swim.”
Suzie stated she is not eligible for housing through the council, either temporary or permanent, due to her being a homeowner.
Writing on GoFundMe said: “I trusted a builder who told me planning permission wasn’t needed. That mistake has now put my entire family at risk of losing everything. I’ve fought this for over two years – appeals, meetings, everything I could possibly do. But I’ve been told the decision is final.”
Suzie Cavadino(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
In a letter to local MP Ashley Dalton, seen by the ECHO, assistant director of planning and regulatory services for the council Paul Charlson said: “…the council has carefully considered the circumstances surrounding this case and has already provided Ms Cavadino with all the advice, flexibility and support that is available within the planning process.
“The enforcement notice was upheld by the Planning Inspectorate, which extended the compliance period to 24 April 2026. As the statutory period for challenging the Inspector’s decision in the High Court expired on 5 December 2025, the council is now legally required to ensure compliance.”
The Planning Inspectorate is responsible for making decisions and providing recommendations and advice on a range of land use planning-related issues.
A spokesperson for West Lancashire Council said: “We recognise the impact planning decisions can have and meet with the residents affected to offer practical alternatives and support.
“However, if the Independent Planning Inspector upholds the requirements of an enforcement notice, the Council must comply with that legally binding decision.
“We would urge anyone looking to undertake building work such as extensions on their property to contact the Council’s Planning Department before starting any work to make sure all necessary permissions have been taken into account.”