A farmer who fought for years to save a mock Tudor castle he built without planning permission, has now carefully dismantled it, the High Court has heard. But Robert Fidler told a judge he hopes to rebuild his “work of art” on another site with consent.
Last November, Dove J gave Fidler seven months to knock it down, in order to avoid a three-month prison sentence.
Today, lawyers representing Reigate and Banstead Borough Council said he had made good progress in complying with the requirements of enforcement notices issued by the local authority, but that work still needed to be done in order to fully comply, including restoring the land to its former agricultural state.
The judge said that he appreciated Fidler’s efforts, and that he hoped to have the matter resolved without having to send him to prison.
He adjourned the case to 4 July, by which point Fidler assured him he will have fully complied with the enforcement notices.
Fidler built his home in Salfords, Surrey, more than a decade ago and hid it behind straw bales for years in a bid to gain immunity from planning control.
But, after his breach of planning consent was discovered, the council issued enforcement notices demanding that the house be knocked down.
A planning inspector rejected Fidler’s appeal, and the decision was backed by the High Court in 2010 and the Court of Appeal.
Deputy High Court judge Sir Thayne Forbes in 2010 said that the straw bales “were intended to deceive the local planning authority and to achieve by deception lawful status for a dwelling built in breach of planning control”.
The council later secured an injunction against Fidler requiring compliance with the notice and demolition.
At the hearing today, Fidler said he had carefully dismantled his home and expressed the hope that he would one day rebuild it elsewhere with planning permission. He invited the judge to see it when that happens.
