The owner of the "mancave" ignored multiple requests to take it down and was handed a £78,000 fine and even sent to prison over the build
Demolition of the 10,000 sqft 'mancave' has now begun(Image credit: Google Earth)
Demolition of a 10,000 sqft mancave that prompted a 10-year planning battle has now begun.
Graham Wildin, 71, from Cinderford, Gloucestershire, wrongly believed the mancave was allowed without planning permission but decided to ignore numerous requests from the Forest of Dean District Council to take it down.
The council were forced to take it upon themselves to take it down so now after 10 years, five court appearances and even a prison sentence, demolition has begun.
What does the 'mancave' include?
Mr Wildin built a 10,000 sqft mancave as an extension to his property in 2014.
The mancave includes a bowling alley, squash court and casino that he claims was for his family to enjoy.
The council ordered the removal of the mancave for violating planning regulations due to its size and overbearing nature.
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Despite a 2017 enforcement notice after two years it was revealed no work was done to take down the building and he was handed a £30,000 bill, six-week suspended jail sentence and given until March 2023 to take it down, which he again ignored.
He was handed a six-week prison sentence in 2023 for contempt of court, which he served half of.
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He presented land registry documents to prove he no longer owned the building and could not remove it. This left the future of the building uncertain, with Mr Wildin stating it was "no longer my problem".
However, the court deemed this irrelevant since the transfer occurred after the court order.
Demolition of mancave begins
As the sale of the mancave was deemed irrelevant the council proceeded with demolition of the building.
They gained approval to secure the site on May 31 and began demolition that is planned to be completed in the next six to eight weeks.
Mr Wildin was also told to repay £78,000 in legal fees to the council, of which the Forest of Dean Council said they have received £30,000 so far.
News Editor Joseph has previously written for Today’s Media and Chambers & Partners, focusing on news for conveyancers and industry professionals. Joseph has just started his own self build project, building his own home on his family’s farm with planning permission for a timber frame, three-bedroom house in a one-acre field. The foundation work has already begun and he hopes to have the home built in the next year. Prior to this he renovated his family's home as well as doing several DIY projects, including installing a shower, building sheds, and livestock fences and shelters for the farm’s animals. Outside of homebuilding, Joseph loves rugby and has written for Rugby World, the world’s largest rugby magazine.
