Neighbours’ fury after man extends house into church GRAVEYARD – and now he’s been hit with £100,000 bill

A RETIRED businessman infuriated his neighbours by extending his house into a church graveyard. Charles Ryan, 73, demolished and rebuilt his back wall alongside several headstones while renovating his home – but has since been slapped with a £100,000 bill after being ordered to tear it down. Locals in the village of Quebec, County Durham, […]

A RETIRED businessman infuriated his neighbours by extending his house into a church graveyard.

Charles Ryan, 73, demolished and rebuilt his back wall alongside several headstones while renovating his home – but has since been slapped with a £100,000 bill after being ordered to tear it down.

Locals in the village of Quebec, County Durham, were outraged at the former concrete firm boss’ building work, which they claim “desecrated” the historic St John the Baptist Church cemetery.

Several residents complained to the council about the extension to his £250,000 period house as Charles only applied for planning permission retrospectively, MailOnline reports.

Officials have since ordered him to knock down his garage conversion and rebuild the 11ft-long cemetery wall by summer 2022, for an estimated cost of £100,000.

Cops are also investigating the alleged gravestone damage after the row sparked a police probe.

Charles claims the extension was for “health and safety reasons” as he and his wife are in their 70s.

He also insists that the wall had “already collapsed”, and the project was completed two years ago but has only now caused a stir after tree felling made it visible.

But John Nicholson, who lives in nearby Willington, was left distraught after his grandparents’ gravestone was allegedly damaged due to the construction work.

He said: “I am writing to register my objection to the planning application of Mr Ryan who has already caused damage to the graveyard wall and desecrated many graves.

“One of which graves that has been damaged, is what we hoped was the final resting place of both my grandparents who had been laid to rest together in a grave close to the graveyard wall.

“Their headstone now lies face down in the ground following the building work that was carried out.

“It is hard to believe that anyone would be so disrespectful that they would demolish a graveyard wall and desecrate graves.”

Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, told MailOnline: “He’s just completely ignored planning rules and acted with complete disrespect to everyone else in the village.

“He’s upset a lot of people but now he’s lost in court. He’s got to take it all down and I gather he won’t get any change from £100,00.”

‘SO DISRESPECTFUL’

Geoff Paul, Durham County Council’s interim head of housing and development, told The Sun Online: “The retrospective planning application was refused on the grounds that the development is not sympathetic to the character and appearance of the area and has resulted in the loss of the historic fabric of the stone boundary wall, damaging its traditional character.

“The proposal fails to conserve or enhance the significance and setting of the adjacent former church, which is a heritage asset.

“A planning enforcement notice has been issued which requires the extension to be demolished and the stone boundary wall between the property and the former church to be rebuilt within six months of February 1, 2022.

“The applicant does have a right of appeal against the refusal of the application and the enforcement notice.”

A Durham Police spokesperson added: “Police received a report of damage to a wall and graves at the graveyard of St John the Baptist Church, on Front Street, Quebec.

“The report was made to police on September 13 this year, and investigation is ongoing into the circumstances surrounding the damage.”