Posted on 01/25/2008 7:08:16 AM PST by nuconvert
Farmer hides castle from building inspectors
By Peter Apps
A farmer built an entire mock castle behind a screen of hay bales and lived there concealed for four years to evade planning regulations, officials said on Friday -- but it may be torn down anyway.
Robert Fidler hopes to take advantage of a provision of planning law that allows buildings without planning permission to be declared legal if no objections have been made after four years
But Reigate and Banstead Borough Council in Surrey is not impressed.
"It does not count because the property was hidden behind hay bales," said a spokeswoman. "No one knew it was there."
The council wants the building near Redhill some 30 km south of London to be demolished, along with an associated conservatory, marquee structure, wooden bridge, patio, decking and tarmac racecourse.
"It looks like a mock-Tudor house from the front and it's got two turrets at the back," the spokeswoman said. "I understand there is also a cannon."
The couple would have been unlikely to get planning permission as the farm was in "green belt" land where building was restricted, she said. A hearing takes place in February.
Fidler's wife Linda told the Daily Mail newspaper the children grew up looking at straw out of the windows of the house and that they kept their son away from playschool on the day his class were due to do paintings of their houses.
"We couldn't have him drawing a big blue haystack," she said. "People might ask questions."
Planning inspectors had been called to the site by concerned neighbours shortly before Fidler took the hay bales down in summer 2006 but had not seen the house.
"When the inspectors went there, all they saw was hay bales and hay bales on agricultural land are not that unusual," the spokeswoman said.
"I think the neighbours thought there might be something going on but it is difficult to tell, isn't it?"
Photos??
Busybodies would tear down all sorts of stuff because of “planning”.
The government meddlers might want to give due consideration to that last bit, before taking any hostile actions against the family's castle.
That house/castle is awesome....aside from being envious, why would someone want to tear that structure down?
This guy needs to come to America. His talents and creativity would be appreciated here.
Wow it’s awesome, I can’t believe they would have him tear it down.
On the other hand, it looks like he’s not the only person trying to hide houses from planners:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=440771&in_page_id=1770&in_page_id=1770&expand=true
This requires some international attention. No-one in their right mind would tear down something that’s obviously awesome and in keeping with the English landscape.
WHAT? You're kidding. The USA is infested with exactly the same sorts of restricitons. In addition we have homeowners' associations (in reality busybodys' associations) to ensure that you are denied the enjoyment of your property.
Just dayum!!!
It’s amazing. They’ll let a huge pile of hay cobered with blue plastic sit for years but a beautiful house like that has to be torn down because it’s in a, “green belt”, that’s supposed to be beautiful landscape.
And yes, I did speak nicely to him...and then I called the fire Dept. who informed me there was really nothing they could do. He was given a notice for keeping cars without tags on this property, but that didn't stop him.
I do detest HOA's, but there are reasons for them. Until, of course, they become too powerful, which they always do! So, I do not know what the solution is.
you have to admit that it is a little strange in appearance. but, it IS cool. even though he broke the rules, my verdict is not guilty. let it stand.
100 percent agree. Comeon down to the Missouri Ozarks and build away. Plenty of stone around here.
I have a friend who received an unfriendly visit from her homeowners association because she purchased the wrong color garden hose. Green hoses were the only ones the needlenoses deemed proper and appropriate. She, the heretic, bought a yellow one.
You should support the man and his efforts, not tell him to give up and move else where.
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