A DAD camped himself outside the town hall in Blackburn after accusing a council of ‘disregarding’ his concerns about a neighbour's extension which nearly touches his home.

Neal Robinson held up a banner which was daubed with the words ‘Blackburn with Darwen Council wrecks lives’ during a seven-hour protest yesterday.

The 52-year-old said he was protesting against the council’s decision to approve an extension that he says has put people off from buying his home on Markham Road, Witton, Blackburn.

His neighbours started building the extension in December 2017 and it was completed in July last year.

Since last January, Mr Robinson has been trying to sell his home but he said he has been unable to because of the extension which he said is so close that it touches the gutter pipes of his property.

And Mr Robinson said the council’s failure to listen to his concerns prompted him to hold the protest.

Mr Robinson, who lives with wife Denise, 50 and son Scott, 27, and daughter, Emma, 22, said: “After more than a year of complaining and getting nowhere, I decided to hold this protest.

“The council have totally disregarded me and I just can’t understand how they’ve given planning permission for this extension.

“Anyone that looks at this extension knows it wrong."

He said the estate agents valued the house at £159,950 but that the couple have only had one offer of £98,000 since last January.

He added: “It’s the extension that’s putting people off.”

Planning manager Gavin Prescott said Mr Robinson’s complaint has been investigated and that there was no fault in the council’s decision-making process.

He said: “Mr Robinson’s complaint has been fully and thoroughly investigated by both the council and the Local Government Ombudsman.

“The council’s investigation concluded that full consideration had been given to the planning application and all relevant legislation.

“The ombudsman also concluded that there was ‘no fault’ in the council’s decision making process.”