News from all over - near Redhill
A British 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 the southern English county of 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 some 19 miles 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."
Source
But Reigate and Banstead Borough Council in the southern English county of 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 some 19 miles 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."
Source
