illegally.

Leon Stevens began construction last August of a second storey and other extensions to the building on the shores of Frank's Bay, with neither planning permission nor a building permit.

And although a stop order has been issued by the Department of Planning, Stevens has continued to build.

He plans to turn the storage facility into a dwelling unit with the addition of a kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom at the 0.02 acre lot.

He applied for permission to expand the building in 1994 and 1996, but was denied both times.

And now he has applied for retroactive planning permission, having already carried out significant additions But neighbour John Cary said the plans Stevens submitted to Planning were not accurate to the work actually done.

"There won't be a blade of grass on the site,'' Mr. Cary said.

"The whole area is used up, and there's no parking, which you need if a building becomes a residential unit.'' Stevens, an employee of Sea Land Construction, has been working on the project on evenings and weekends.

"He is continuing to build without regard to the law,'' said Mr. Cary.

"There must be some way to stop people from doing something unlawful -- there must be some legal procedure.'' Acting Planning Director Aideen Ratteray-Price said the department would seek advice from the Attorney General's Chambers and the fate of the building was uncertain.

Mr. Cary and his wife, Jeanette Cary, have also filed a writ against Stevens in a dispute about the use of the building's right of way, which traverses the family's property.

Stevens did not return calls from The Royal Gazette .