A couple who built a conservatory without planning permission have won a seven-year legal battle to keep it – in a wrangle which has cost the taxpayer tens of thousands of pounds.

John and Val Piotrowicz spent £10,000 building the conservatory at their home in Fern Hill Road, Shipley, in 2002 after being told they did not need planning permission.

They were later twice refused retrospective permission, had an appeal thrown out by a Government inspector and were even prosecuted for failing to heed an enforcement notice – because the conservatory was a few feet too big.

The long-running saga has had a “massive impact” on the couple’s lives and has also cost them tens of thousands of pounds. Now following another appeal, Government Inspector Louise Crosby has allowed them to keep the conservatory as it is.

In her written decision, she said: “The part of the conservatory that would have needed to be removed would be the splayed section (the conservatory’s bay window). In my opinion, removing that section would be barely noticeable.”

Bradford Council prosecuted Mr Piotrowicz for not heeding an enforcement notice in 2005 to reduce the size of the conservatory.

After the decision, Mrs Piotrowicz said: “We are saddened we were never given the chance to discuss this with the Council to sort it all out. We can’t believe it has gone on for such a long time. The whole saga has wasted everyone’s effort and money, including taxpayers’ money, on something minor.”

Mrs Piotrowicz thanked neighbours, none of whom complained about the size of the conservatory.

Shipley Green Councillor Martin Love, supported the couple.

He said: “With a little bit more common sense from the Council’s planning department, all this could have been sorted out years ago at a lot less cost to the taxpayer and the Piotrowiczs.”

A spokesman for Bradford Council’s planning department said: “The Council’s legal action against the conservatory was taken following a refusal of planning permission in 2003, a decision endorsed on appeal by the Planning Inspectorate at that time. At a recent further appeal the Inspector granted permission to allow the conservatory to be retained and the Council will not be challenging the decision.”