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© Getty
Who doesn’t love a man cave? (File photo)
* Graham Wildin, 66, built a man cave at his home in Cinderford, Gloucestershire
* The 10,000sq/ft leisure centre includes a bowling alley and squash courts
* Council officials said it breached planning laws and ordered him to bulldoze it
* Wildin didn’t comply with the order by last July and is now being taken to court
A millionaire accountant who built a controversial ‘man cave’ in his garden is being hauled to court – after defying council notices ordering him to tear it down.
Graham Wildin, 66, caused outrage when he built the 10,000sq/ft leisure centre, including a bowling alley, a 16 seat cinema, squash courts, private casino and bar.
The grandfather-of-five claims he thought he did not need permission when he started construction but council officials said the expensive project breached planning laws.
Forest of Dean District Council planners said the ‘bulky structure’ is ‘totally out of scale and proportion with the surrounding development’.
Graham Wildin, 66, caused outrage when he built the 10,000sq/ft leisure centre, complete with a bowling alley, at his home in Cinderford, Gloucestershire
© Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited
They issued an enforcement notice ordering the millionaire to bulldoze the luxury leisure centre in Cinderford, Gloucestershire, by July 7 last year.
But Mr Wildin has stayed defiant – apparently ignoring the order with no demolition work seemingly having taken place.
The council have applied for an injunction that would require Mr Wildin to comply with the notice and demolish the building.
Now, court proceedings have been launched against Mr Wildin who has failed to comply with the notice.
The case will be heard in the High Court in Cardiff during a two-day trial on September 20 and 21.
Mr Wildin began building the luxury complex in the back garden of his six-bedroom mansion in 2013 and finished the following year.
© Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited
The grandfather-of-five claims he thought he did not need permission when he started construction but council officials said the expensive project breached planning laws
© Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited
The grandfather-of-five claims he thought he did not need permission when he started construction but council officials said the expensive project breached planning laws
The grandfather-of-five claims he took careful notice of planning laws and was taking advantage of a loophole which allows him to construct the building.
Mr Wildin had always maintained he did not need planning permission and it was semi-submerged 18 foot into the ground, saving neighbours’ views.
But council officials said the building breached planning laws and issued an enforcement notice for it to be removed in February, later extended until last July.
Mr Wildin has faced further rows with his neighbours over land boundary disputes and a fence between the property.
Neighbour Garry Thomas, 37, constructed a 12ft-wide wooden fence so he didn’t have to look at the extension.
Mr Wildin had always maintained he did not need planning permission and it was semi-submerged 18 foot into the ground, saving neighbours’ views
© Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited
Mr Wildin claimed the £300 fence encroached onto his property, but Mr Thomas said his deeds showed the fence was within his own boundary.
The situation escalated when Mr Wildin tore down the wooden fence, captured on film by Mr Thomas’ partner on April 26 last year.
In the footage, millionaire Mr Wildin could be seen rocking the fence backwards and forwards.
He then climbed up on to a ledge and threw a black plastic bin at Mr Thomas’ stunned partner.
The film shows him aggressively kicking the wooden fence after ‘trespassing’ on the property.
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