Fidler’s castle
I have just seen a fantastically creative scheme to get round the restrictive planning laws that we have in the UK.
On New Homes From Hell (on ITV1) a farmer called Robert Fidler described how he built a house in secret, surround by massive haystacks, and then kept it hidden for four years.
He owned some green belt land, but knowing that he wouldn’t get planning permission to build a house on it, he decided to try to exploit a loop whole in the law which states that if a council doesn’t object to a new build property after four years, then planning is not required.
So all Robert needed to do was hide his house for 4 years.
Then once the time had passed, he pulled down the bales of hay to reveal his very own castle.
Robert has lived there since August 2006, but he is not in the clear yet. The council are trying to have it demolished saying that, since no-one was given a chance to see the house, the 4 year exemption is invalid.
April 10th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Brilliant law-dodging!
It’s very satisfying to see people getting round our planning laws.
It reminds me of Simon Dales hobbit house which he built in just a few weeks…
http://www.simondale.net/house/
April 11th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Classic! I think you should do that.
April 12th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
They should pull it down pronto, the bloke knew it was very likely to happen in any case, so more money than sense. What a pillock.
August 9th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Fantastic idea!, lets all build big houses in our gardens and behind straw bails, and perhaps we should encourage developers and illegal immigrants to do the same thing! Anyone supporting this idiot needs thier heads examining.
August 10th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
I also watched homes from hell showing Fidlers Castle, i thought the end result was a beautiful building, it would be such a shame for it to be demolished, even though it didnt have planning permission.
October 5th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
He has to knock it down. see http://www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/public/news/4-29315.asp
Bit of a card who said that if you do this you have to recognise the risks - well risks just caught up with him. Snd in the bulldozers and be sure to make it right as greenbelt land