A Stamford Hill rabbi has lost a court appeal over a synagogue extension the local council said lacked planning authorisation.

Hackney Council had granted permission in 2006 for a number of flats to be built to provide extra space for the shul at 145-147 Upper Clapton Road.

But when the council saw what had subsequently been built on the site, in 2017 it ordered the demolition of the extension and a basement to be filled in.

Although Rabbi M Meisels and a Mr D Meisels contested the decision, a planning inspector rejected their appeal.

The inspector said: “The building embarked on was so significantly different from that approved that it must be regarded as implementation of a quite different scheme, for which planning permission had not been granted.”

Although the Meiselses suggested modifications, the inspector said they would need to submit a new application. Instead of the original plan with four flats and six bedrooms spread over four floors, there were five flats with nine bedrooms over three floors. 

Hackney Council said this week the development was “due to have been removed by June 18”. It is now looking into the possibility of prosecution.