A homeowner bulldozed his "monster mansion" after council chiefs rejected his retrospective planning application.
Gurwinder Singh was ordered to demolish his four-bedroom property after the house - the largest in the area - made his neighbours’ lives "hell".
They complained to the council and left a total of 95 objections to Mr Singh's plans in a retrospective planning application.
And when Walsall Council rejected the application, it gave Mr Singh an enforcement notice and he had to demolish the property.
Mike Bird, planning committee chairman at the Tory-controlled authority, said: "This is a very serious situation.
“Walsall Council is going to put 'force' back into enforcement.
"I am sick and tired of seeing breaches of planning regulations around the borough because people think 'I do that because I can'.
"This committee are telling you now, you can't do it because we won't let you. When we find out, we will prosecute you.
"Adjoining neighbours have suffered hell. There has been a lack of co-operation from day one so I welcome the enforcement.
"We've got to be shown to make a stand against people who think they can build anything they like in relation to the planning permission they receive."
Mr Singh had planning permission for a modest extension to the 1960s house but he went one step further to his detriment.
Residents living near the house in Willenhall, West Midlands, where the average house price is around £180,000, have today spoken of their joy.
One neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I think it's right that he should tear it down.
“Why should you anyone get away with breaking the rules. The house is bloody huge and looks like a horrible monster mansion.
“None of the other houses in this area are that big, what on earth was he thinking?”
Another said: "When the house started going up I heard the next door neighbour whose house is attached could actually see the cracks coming through their walls.
"I'm glad the council have nipped it in the bud now before it's finished. It was at least three times the size of the original house. It looks like a sports hall."
Mr Singh’s agents, Architecture and Interior Design Ltd said: "Unfortunately, while work was being carried out the builders on site removed most of the existing walls of the residential.
"This meant that the building required new brick work and when enforcement got involved they suggested that to fix the issue the site should go through the application process again as a retrospective planning."
