'illegal' mock-Tudor castle he tried to hide behind 40ft hay bales

The-Joker

marjrie wrote: »

Is this place really still standing ?

Yes he seems to have won.

Although you will get some on here insisting it will be demolished soon. They were saying that ten years ago, and will still be insisting it in another ten years.

But he has won.

AdrianC

The-Joker wrote: »

But he has won.

For values of "won" that include an utterly unsellable house, ongoing legal battles to continue to "win", and already-crippling-ever-rising legal bills, with bankruptcy a dead cert when the legals inevitably reach the end of the road and he gets presented with the council's bill.

I think the phrase "pyrrhic victory" might be both premature and an understatement.

abankerbutnotafatcat

http://www.surreymirror.co.uk/Eric-Pickles-decide-fate-secret-Salfords-castle/story-26152821-detail/story.html

Killerseven

abankerbutnotafatcat wrote: »

http://www.surreymirror.co.uk/Eric-Pickles-decide-fate-secret-Salfords-castle/story-26152821-detail/story.html

ERIC PICKLES is to decide whether or not a Salfords farmer can keep his secret "castle".

Robert Fidler built his citadel on Honeycrock Farm in Axes Lane without planning permission in 2002, hiding it behind stacks of straw bales before unveiling it in 2006.

Since then Mr Fidler, who has been farming on the green belt site for 40 years, has been locked in a battle with Reigate and Banstead Borough Council over whether the property can stay.

Now, after a public inquiry in November, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government will make the final decision. In a letter to the council, Mark Boulton from the Planning Inspectorate said: "The reason for this direction is that the appeal relates to proposals which raise important or novel issues of development control and/or legal difficulties."

Councillor Tony Schofield, cabinet member for planning and development, told the Mirror he hoped for a decision by the end of the month.



Read more: http://www.surreymirror.co.uk/Eric-Pickles-decide-fate-secret-Salfords-castle/story-26152821-detail/story.html#ixzz3UlBsXz6L
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How many times have we heard this before over the last 13 years since 2002?

I think these headlines will be similar over the next 13yrs.

Davesnave

Killerseven wrote: »

ERIC PICKLES is to decide whether or not a Salfords farmer can keep his secret "castle".

Robert Fidler built his citadel on Honeycrock Farm in Axes Lane without planning permission in 2002, hiding it behind stacks of straw bales before unveiling it in 2006.

Since then Mr Fidler, who has been farming on the green belt site for 40 years, has been locked in a battle with Reigate and Banstead Borough Council over whether the property can stay.

Now, after a public inquiry in November, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government will make the final decision. In a letter to the council, Mark Boulton from the Planning Inspectorate said: "The reason for this direction is that the appeal relates to proposals which raise important or novel issues of development control and/or legal difficulties."

Councillor Tony Schofield, cabinet member for planning and development, told the Mirror he hoped for a decision by the end of the month.



Read more: http://www.surreymirror.co.uk/Eric-Pickles-decide-fate-secret-Salfords-castle/story-26152821-detail/story.html#ixzz3UlBsXz6L
Follow us: @surreymirror on Twitter | surreymirror on Facebook

How many times have we heard this before over the last 13 years since 2002?

I think these headlines will be similar over the next 13yrs.

Post quoted so we can refer you back to it later.

AdrianC

Davesnave wrote: »

Post quoted so we can refer you back to it later.

Quite. Some people don't really seem to understand the whole concept of escalation and appeals. He's running out of options rapidly, and it's only getting more and more expensive for him.

I still predict bankruptcy and demolition, and it's not too far in the future now.

Killerseven

AdrianC wrote: »

Quite. Some people don't really seem to understand the whole concept of escalation and appeals. He's running out of options rapidly, and it's only getting more and more expensive for him.

I still predict bankruptcy and demolition, and it's not too far in the future now.

Post quoted so we can refer you back to it later.

Look back in this thread, these same things were being said several years ago.

the exact same things were being said several years ago. The same things will be being said so surely in several more years. All the time he is laughing. He has won.

Killerseven

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

Appeal dismissed on 7 May. He has 12 months to tear it down

Its been there since 2002, every year people say things like this in 2008.......

roddydogs

Keep us posted.

Ozzuk

AdrianC wrote: »

Quite. Some people don't really seem to understand the whole concept of escalation and appeals. He's running out of options rapidly, and it's only getting more and more expensive for him.

I still predict bankruptcy and demolition, and it's not too far in the future now.

Hardly rapidly!