She said: “They haven’t turned it into a factory, or a kitchen or a shop. It’s still their family home. They are careful to keep it as unobtrusive as possible because it’s their house.”
Cathy added: “Yes, people do stop outside, but they go in, they come out, it’s minutes.
“You hear a few pans here and there, but you get that noise with people making breakfast.
“Where’s the evidence that it is causing major disruption?”
Fatima has appealed to the government’s Planning Inspectorate to overturn the enforcement notice.
The inspectorate will seek statements from her, the council and interested third parties before making a decision early next year.
The council told the LDRS it has a legal duty to investigate and take enforcement action against breaches of planning permission.
A council spokesperson said: “Our enforcement team learned that a home was being used as a commercial premises, without the required planning permission.
“The council has a legal duty to investigate any suspected changes of use under national planning legislation, and to enforce that legislation if a breach is found to have taken place.”
They added: “As is standard for such an investigation, the entire house was inspected.
“The owner was issued with an enforcement notice which includes details on how to appeal (including the option that planning permission ought to be granted for the change of use).”
