Demolition at the site in Holme Wood is set to begin soon

Author: Chris Young, Local Democracy Reporting ServicePublished 3rd Nov 2025
Last updated 3rd Nov 2025

A PROPERTY developer who failed to pull down an unauthorised housing development in Bradford has told a court he aims to finally start the demolition work this week.

Munjit Singh Dulay, the owner of the former Holme View Care Home on Gillingham Green, Holme Wood, appeared at Bradford Magistrates Court on Friday afternoon to plead guilty to failing to comply with a planning contravention notice relating to the property.

He claimed work on the site had halted because the architect behind the scheme decided to swap the project in Holme Wood for a new job in Saudi Arabia.

Dulay and his company had begun work to turn the former care home into a housing development, but had never applied for planning permission.

Last year he was issued an order by Bradford Council demanding he pull down the development.

A court has now fined him £332 for failing to comply with that order, as well as almost £2,700 costs to Bradford Council for investigating and prosecuting the case.

Dulay, 59, of the Bristol area, told the court he would spend the weekend in Bradford in an attempt to find a company able to demolish the building.

The Holme View Care Home was closed by Bradford Council in 2017 and subsequently put on the market, eventually coming into the ownership of Dulay.

The unauthorised work on the site remains half completed, and is a blight in the Holme Wood Area. Dulay’s defence, however, said it “wasn’t the worst looking building site.”

Waseem Raja, prosecuting on behalf of Bradford Council, said a members of the public had raised concerns with the council about a seemingly unauthorised development of the care home site. He said: “There was no planning permission for the site.”

He said Dulay’s company MB Estates LTD, were the owners of the land.

Mr Raja said: “He was written to about the works, but he made no attempt to rectify the matter or engage with the planning authority.

“On January 4 the Council issued an enforcement notice requiring him to demolish the unauthorised building and remove all materials from the site.

“That notice took effect in February and should have been complied with by August.”

He said Dulay did not appeal the notice, and the Council decided to prosecute Dulay earlier this year.

Magistrates were told that as of Friday morning, no work had been done to comply with the order.

Mr Shaikh, representing Dulay, laid the blame for the situation on an architect hired by Dulay.

He said: “His architect was the person who needed to make sure what was needed to be done was done.

“Unfortunately, the architect has taken on a role in Saudi Arabia and cannot be here as a witness.

“My client has buried his head in the sand and left everything in the architect’s hands.

“Of course he accepts as an individual he should have had a better grasp on the situation.”

He argued that the development was work to an existing building, such as rendering areas of the former car home.

Mr Shaikh said: “It is not a case of building on open land.

“It is not the worst looking building site – I’ve seen far worse.”

He told magistrates that Dulay had attempted to carry out work to comply with the notice, adding: “He has recruited about three teams locally. Unfortunately they have not completed the works.

“He finds himself in an unenviable position.

“He is going to stay here (in Bradford) until Tuesday so he can find a construction team to clean it up.

“He has relied on the advice of someone else. The fact his architect isn’t here is out of his control.”

Dulay told the court the demolition would be “put in motion” next week and he was trying to turn things around. He said: “Because of the area it is in I’ve had nothing but problems.”

After some deliberations magistrates decided to fine Dulay £332. They ordered him to pay £2,696 costs to Bradford Council and a £133 surcharge.

He was remined that although he had been sentenced, the order was still in place, and still required him to clear the site.

Mr Raja told the court: “If he doesn’t comply then the prosecution will begin again.”

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