A MAN who converted his house into flats without obtaining planning permission has lost his appeal against a decision to order him to reverse the building work.

Savvas Elia turned his home, in Neville Close, Potters Bar, into two self-contained flats in October 2007.

But he did not have permission from Hertsmere Borough Council to carry out the work and was subsequently slapped with an enforcement notice which required him to return the house to its original state.

Mr Elia appealed to the Planning Inspectorate but this has now been dismissed.

However, Mr Elia will NOT have to turn the flats back into one dwelling.

In his decision notice, planning inspector Dennis Bradley wrote: “I consider that it would be sufficient to require that the use as two flats cease.”

A council spokeswoman said: “We take planning breaches seriously so we are pleased that the inspector agreed with the council on this issue.”