Salim Mehajer in trouble with Auburn Council after installing artificial turf without consent

SUSPENDED Auburn de­puty mayor Salim Mehajer is now in trouble with his own council - with staff saying he should tear up fake turf laid without permission.

SUSPENDED Auburn de­puty mayor Salim Mehajer has ripped up the artificial lawn outside his lavish home in Lidcombe after council staff found it had been installed without consent from his own council.

Mr Mehajer had the artificial lawn installed before his extravagant wedding that shut down his street in August 2015, about the same time he put in an application to the council for approval.

Council staff have recommended the Independent Hearing Assessment Panel reject Mr Mehajer’s application on Wednesday and send enforcement staff to remove the artificial grass from the council’s nature strip.

Even the trees outside Salim’s mansion are fake - and council says he didn’t have permission to lay the fake lawn on the nature strip.

Auburn’s suspended deputy mayor Salim Mehajer’s mansion stands out from the street.

The red carpet is rolled out for Salim’s over-the-top wedding

At the IHAP meeting, chair Peter Stein said the panel “attended the site (on Wednesday morning) and saw turf being installed when we were there”.

A representative for Mr Mehajer tried to withdraw the application at the meeting.

Mr Mehajer may also be forced to fix his kerb to comply with council standards and be asked to lower the fence surrounding his Frances St home from 2.1m to 1.8m.

A council report claims Mr Mehajer applied to increase the height of the fence surrounding his property in August due to “security and privacy reasons”.

The report said allowing Mr Mehajer to have his fence 2.1m high and keep the artificial grass “would set an undesirable precedence” in Auburn.

Salim Mehajer and wife Aysha celebrating their wedding.

Salim Mehajer releases doves with wife Aysha on his wedding day.

This artificial grass on the nature strip was laid without proper permission.

Mr Mehajer told the Advertiser he lowered his fence to 1.8m in November last year. He did not respond to inquiries about the artificial turf.

It is the first item Auburn Council’s Independent Hearing Assessment Panel will deal with at its first meeting on Wednesday.

The panel was set up by Auburn Council administrator Viv May to consider planning proposals and development applications while councillors are suspended due to the public inquiry into the council.

It will announce its decision in relation to Mr Mehajer’s application on Auburn Council’s website as early as this afternoon.

Salim Mehajer said he had already cut back his fence by 30cms.