A TIMBER businessman has won part of a court fight to keep his bungalow despite complaints from TV star and neighbour Vernon Kay who wanted it demolished.
Ian Caldwell, who commissioned a cabin to be build in Beaconsfield around ten years ago, went to the High Court in London on Wednesday, May 24, to challenge a council order for the building to be knocked down.
Buckinghamshire County Council has ordered Mr Caldwell to demolish the site following complaints, including from Radio 2 presenter Kay who lives 300 yards away.
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The radio host, who lives with wife Strictly Come Dancing presenter Tess Daly in their £1.2million property, argued the two-bedroom cabin should not have been built in a secluded rural area.
Mr Caldwell said he built the property for his site manager and family.
After a short court hearing in London last week, a Judge declared the case as ‘properly arguable’ giving Mr Caldwell, owner of Timberstore Ltd, permission to go for a full High Court appeal.
If the court case, which will be heard at a later date, does not go in the 62-year-old's favour, he will have to level the £80,000 cabin and the family occupying it will be uprooted.
It has been argued that the cabin was erected without planning permission and in a Green Belt area.
In February this year, Buckinghamshire Council issued an enforcement notice ordered the demolishment of the home.
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However, Mr Caldwell has argued that his development is protected by the 'four-year rule', which tolerates planning breaches where they've gone unprosecuted for that length of time.
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