Should This Lovely Building Be Pulled Down?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3044537/Farmer-given-90-days-tear-mock-Tudor-castle-built-without-planning-permission-hid-bales-hay.html

If I were his neighbour I would rather look on this lovely structure than the dozens of hay bales, blue tarpaulin and tyres I had been forced to look at for four years.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/04/18/08/27B0901C00000578-3044537-The_66_year_old_used_dozens_of_hay_bales_blue_tarpaulin_and_tyre-a-22_1429342303282.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/04/18/08/27B0903400000578-3044537-Robert_Fidler_has_lost_a_nine_year_legal_battle_to_save_a_dream_-a-9_1429342003769.jpg

[Baldric]

///Everyone else has to abide by planning laws, so why shouldn’t they?///

That'll teach him not to try and Fiddle the system.

[Barsel]

It is a shame to have to demolish such a splendid house but, rules are rules and if he got away with it, then houses would be springing up on greenbelt land all over the place without planning permission. x

[Svejk]

Haven't read the story but it would be chaotic if everybody started building whatever they liked, wherever they liked.

[retrocop]

Yes rules are rules but how unfortunate.Poor chap was helping out the government with the housing crisis at his own expense to. :-(

[woofgang]

he did it on purpose, planned to defy the law from the start and its a HORRIBLE building! Bring in the wrecking ball!

[RATTER15]

He knew the risks, he must now pay the price!!

[sp1814]

AOG

I saw this building on a TV documentary about 18 months ago. It is, in my opinion, one of the ugliest dwellings I've ever seen on telly.

He's mixed Gothic influences with Tudor, two styles that don't sit well together. It's even worse on the inside.

A lot of money and no taste.

Should it be pulled down? My heart says no, because of the waste (both in money and time). But my head says yes, because he tried to pull a fast one. He knew what he was up to and tried to beat the system. I've not read the story in the link, but from what I remember (from the documentary), a building can stay if it has been erected for five years. In this case, the clock started ticking when the building became visible, rather than when it was finished.

At the end of the day, if he gets away with this, others will try...

However, I can't say how I would feel if I thought the building was beautiful, and in keeping with the area. But then again, if he had submitted plans for something like that, it would have been accepted.

As it is, what he has built is the architectural equivalent of a toaster fridge.

[woofgang]

sp, he built on green belt land, I think it would have had to be another Sistine Chapel to get permission to build it and retrospective permission on green belt land is even harder if, as here, it was done deliberately to try to exploit a loophole. Personally I think he should be made to waste his money and time by having it removed at his expense.

[jackthehat]

a) It's not lovely.
b) Yes, it should be pulled down.

[marval]

He knew he would need planning permission, so yes it should come down.

[sandyRoe]

Rules is rules. It has to go. If it was allowed to stand you might see people taking that as a signal they could go setting up caravan camps anywhere they liked.

[Baldric]

Funny you should say that, Do as you likey did come to mind!

[Sycamore3House]

I read about how this guy a few years ago. Back then I remember him quoting some ancient law to do with the king/queen & owning a castle & protecting such royalty. Still can't see it coming down though.

[mikey4444]

Its entirely his own fault that he is the position he is now. He has only himself to blame.

Anyway, is it really that lovely ? To me its looks like a giant dolls house, with bits from every architectural style since 1066 included in it. But what it looks like is irrelevant. He tried to circumvent the Planning laws, the same laws that the rest of us mere mortals have to obey.

Tough titty as far as I am concerned.

[EDDIE51]

Not only did he build it without permission he tried to hide it behind bales of staw in a deliberate attempt to exploit a loop hole.
AOG, if this farmer was an immigrant who had illegally built and hidden a 'castle' to house his family would you be as sympthetic?
My own view is that it is out of proportion, ugly and would never have got premision if he had applied for it.

[PankySmooch]

Well said Eddie, it's an eyesore

[tonyav]

Love his name, Mr Fidler.

[EDDIE51]

He should try to sell it to Katie Price looks like her style.
Instead of knocking it down he could transport it to Essex it would not look so out of place there!

[THECORBYLOON]

I am sure that had it been a mosque, ANOTHEOLDGIT would not have been so sympathetic.

[Mamyalynne]

He took a gamble and even he said it could go either way - he lost.


Those are the risks.