A HOMEOWNER has been told she will have to pay an extra £5,000 after building a side extension which encroached onto council land - by half a brick.

Plans were approved for Beverley Jacques to build a 2.7m two storey side extension on her home on Rose Grove, Wombwell, in August 2008.

In May last year she submitted further plans to change the use of a strip of land next to the house from 'urban green space' to private development land on the understanding it would cost £2,590.

But when she requested a visit from a council officer she was told that the extension had already encroached onto council land and if she wanted to continue with her application it would cost her £7,000 .

The council later explained that the land value had increased because it was no longer going to be used as 'garden land' but land for building which costs more to buy.

Full story in this week's Wombwell/Darfield edition.