VANDALS who smashed the windows of a controversial 'mansion' have been branded "absolutely disgusting" by a planning chief.

Councillor Shabir Hussain, chairman of Bradford Area Planning Panel, spoke out at a heated meeting today as the panel granted retrospective planning permission for the eight-bedroom house in Clayton.

He said he had noticed the broken windows and glass on the floor during a site visit to the property, on the corner of Bradford Road and Sandringham Road.

He said: "I am absolutely disgusted by the people who are doing this."

The mansion, which is almost complete but is not yet being lived in, has provoked a lot of anger among people in the area.

Applicant Jatinder Singh had been given planning permission to build a seven-bedroom house on the plot, but instead built a larger eight-bedroom mansion with nine toilets, two kitchens, three lounges, a games room and a study.

Work stopped when the planning breaches came to light and Bradford Council asked for a new plan to be submitted retrospectively.

This retrospective plan was approved unanimously by the panel today, despite concerns raised by ward councillors and neighbours about the large home looking out-of-place and allegations of safety breaches during the build itself.

Objecting, Councillor Carol Thirkill (Lab, Clayton and Fairweather Green) criticised planning agent SR Design.

She said: "Retrospective applications are a common practice from this agent."

And she said the application made "a mockery of the Council planning process".

But Cllr Hussain said: "It is a big property, but it is not a horrible-looking property. Let me make it perfectly clear: it is beautifully built."

Fellow panel member, Councillor Imran Khan, said: "To me, there has been a massive break-down in the relationship between the applicant and the local residents in that area and there has been a lot of animosity building up."

He said while he knew some people did not like retrospective planning applications, it was an option which was open to people.

He added: "I know we have heard things about the agent not doing things right and having a track record of causing problems, but that is an issue for the agent."

After the meeting, Mr Singh said the right decision had been made.

He said: "I hope it shuts the jealous people up."

He said his windows had been smashed twice so far, costing him a total of £2,000.