Couple Fined For Unauthorised Pigeon Home

A couple in Slough has been ordered to pay over £6,000 in fines and costs for building unauthorized structures in their garden to house more than 100 pigeons. Rifat Begum and Zahid Khan of Quinbrookes were instructed by Slough Borough Council and the Planning Inspectorate to remove the pigeon enclosures, which were deemed incongruous with the suburban setting.

Complaints from neighbours cited disturbances caused by constant cooing and fluttering, as well as offensive smells and the burning of pigeon waste. The couple pleaded guilty to breaching a planning enforcement notice issued by the council. As a result, both were fined £300 each, with a £120 victim surcharge and £2,981.25 in prosecution costs.

Paul Kelly, the council's planning lead, emphasized that this case represented a serious, long-standing breach of planning control that harmed neighbours and the community. He highlighted that despite ample opportunities to comply, the couple failed to act, and the successful prosecution underscores the legal enforceability of planning notices and the council's commitment to taking firm action against planning harm.