The local government watchdog has ordered Bradford Council to pay a householder at least £950 in compensation over its poor handling of a planning application which left his home overshadowed by a new building.

The independent ombudsman today criticised the authority's planning department, saying it was at fault in allowing the development to go ahead next to the man's property.

And it said the authority was doubly to blame, since it had been criticised before for doing exactly the same thing.

The issue came to light after a complaint that planners failed to enforce conditions they attached to building work next to the man's home in Thornton. Anne Seex, the Local Government Ombudsman, refused to reveal the identity of the complainant.

But she ruled that the Council should hand him £50 compensation for each of the 19 months that the issue has dragged on so far.

Mrs Seex said: "The individual complained that the developer constructed a retaining wall and boundary wall on top of each other to a height of nine foot. This has had an overbearing impact upon his property and left his home and garden without proper privacy."

Mrs Seex said the Council's team had failed to get the proper measurements from the site - despite her urging them to do so in previous similar cases.

She labelled the failure as 'maladministration' and ordered the authority to review all the decisions which had led to applications being refused and then approved on the site.

The ombudsman has also advised the Council to take action so the complainant sees the situation rectified. The Council's fine stands at £950 but will increase by £50 a month until the matter is resolved.

A Bradford Council spokesman today said the report would be considered at a committee meeting later this year.

She said: "The Council takes seriously any comments made by the ombudsman concerning its practices and procedures.

"The regulatory and appeals committee will be shortly considering the ombudsman's report; and subsequent to this any necessary changes to the Council's planning application procedures will be agreed and implemented."