Revealed: Why illegal Hoxton tower block is still standing a YEAR after council ordered its demolition

A rogue developer told to tear down his block of flats and cough up a record-breaking £700,000 has instead returned with plans to modify the building, the Gazette can reveal.

Yusuf Sarodia of Garland Development Ltd built 34 flats for private rent in Stanway Street, Hoxton, without permission.

He had repeatedly ignored enforcement action from Hackney Council and was eventually taken to court last year, where he was fined £10k and slapped with a bill of £700k.

But a year on the building is still standing, and the town hall says it’s because Sarodia is back with another bid for “substantial changes” that would make it acceptable in planning terms.

A spokesman said: “Under these plans, part of the building will still be demolished, but some parts of the building would be retained.

“The council is obliged to consider sustainable development, and it is clear if some parts of the building can be altered and made acceptable, this would be more sustainable than total demolition.

“If the developer cannot gain planning permission to retain part of the building, they will still be obliged to demolish the entirety.

“We are currently considering this application extremely carefully, as we would any other application, and a decision is still pending.”