A BUSINESSMAN has won more time to complete his “LA style mansion” in Huddersfield.

And planners also agreed last night to allow Abdul Hafiz to keep his huge Birkby home higher than initially allowed.

One councillor described the time extension as “totally unreasonable” while another said he was “gobsmacked” at the compromise over the height of the mansion on Inglewood Avenue.

Mr Hafiz, who owns Saim’s restaurant in Fartown and Bradford Road Pharmacy, told the Examiner last year that his huge home had “brought LA to Huddersfield”.

He won planning permission in 2009 for the house, which includes a double garage, six en-suite bedrooms, a swimming pool, a sauna and a gym.

But some neighbours objected to the new house, saying it was overbearing and out of keeping with the area.

In August 2011, Kirklees Council’s Huddersfield Planning Sub-committee ruled that Mr Hafiz had exceeded planning permission by building the house too high.

In March the same committee gave the businessman fresh planning permission, provided he reduce the roof height by between 0.5 and 1.2 metres.

Mr Hafiz then offered to reduce the height of the garage and swimming pool building, but asked to be able to keep the main part of the house at the same height.

The sub-committee had been due to rule on the proposal at yesterday’s meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall.

But on Tuesday Mr Hafiz offered to reduce the main block of the house by 25cm, rather than the 50cm which planners had demanded.

The compromise was accepted by Kirklees officers, Lindley Lib Dem Clr Cahal Burke and Thomas Crosland, a neighbour who objects to the mansion.

But sub-committee member Clr Ken Sims said: “I’m gobsmacked. You’re compromising on his failure to build it right.”

The Holme Valley South Conservative voted against the compromise, as did his Tory colleagues Clr Mark Hemingway of Lindley; Clr Christine Smith of Kirkburton and Colne Valley’s Clr Donna Bellamy. Almondbury Lib Dem Clr Linda Wilkinson also voted against the deal.

But the compromise passed, thanks to the backing of seven councillors, including independent Clr Terry Lyons of Holme Valley North; Colne Valley Lib Dem Clr Nicola Turner and five Labour members: Dewsbury West’s Clr Karen Rowling, Clr Molly Walton and Clr Mohammad Sarwar of Crosland Moor and Netherton; Golcar’s Clr Paul Salveson and Clr Eric Firth of Dewsbury East.

The sub-committee also voted to give Mr Hafiz until November to finish the work – having told him in March that he had to complete the job by June.

His agent Malcolm Sizer told councillors: “Work was stalled during the wet April of this year. The three-month time-limit was far too short.”

Mr Crosland said the extension would “add insult to injury”.

He told the sub-committee: “When the builders work on the site, we have to keep all our doors and windows closed to keep out the noise.

“Trying to relax in the garden during the work is impossible. The stress is making my wife ill.”

Clr Burke also spoke against the extension.

“It’s totally unreasonable,” he said.

“This development has been in front of the planning committee because conditions are never accepted.

“This is an insult to the planning committee and the planning system. The majority of people follow the rules and this should be the case here.”

But Clr Walton backed the time extension.

“It’s reasonable and proportionate that they are given the time to do it,” she said.

“We may want to punish people but planning is not about punishment, it’s about trying to get the right result.”

The sub-committee voted eight to four to give Mr Hafiz until November to complete the work.

Supporting the time extension were Clr Walton and her Labour colleagues Clr Rowling, Clr Salveson, Clr Sarwar and Clr Firth. Clr Lyons, Clr Turner and Clr Wilkinson also voted in favour.

The four Conservatives on the sub-committee – Clr Smith, Clr Sims, Clr Hemingway and Clr Bellamy – voted against giving Mr Hafiz more time.