A millionaire’s ten-year battle to save ‘Britain’s biggest man cave’ from destruction is finally over.
Graham Wildin, 70, has spent more than a decade fighting to preserve his illegal 10,000sq/ft leisure complex- and has even served jail time over it.
The row has been ongoing since 2014 when he built the man cave with a bowling alley, casino and a cinema at the back of his home without planning permission.
After a lengthy legal battle, Forest of Dean District Council finally started pulling it down in June, and drone pictures this week show the once-flashy annex now resembling a concrete car park.
The once-luxurious leidure complex has now been flattened (Picture: Tom Wren / SWNS)
The annex used to contain a casino, movie theatre and private bowling alley (Picture: SWNS)The complex had sat behind his home in Cinderford, Gloucestershire and had at one time included plush squash courts, soft play area and bowling alley.
One local resident said they were delighted to see it gone.
They said: ‘It’s about time.
‘We get a full view of it from here. Absolutely, I’m happy to see it go.
‘I think all the people down at the bottom (of the road) are very happy.’
Mr Wildin declined to comment on the demolition but the full removal brings an end to a lengthy battle to try and preserve it.
Forest of Dean District Council confirmed the demolition was now complete and they would be pursuing costs from Mr Wildin.
Mr Wildins neighbours frequently complained about the eyesore building (Picture: SWNS)A spokesperson said: ‘The demolition of the building built without planning permission at Meendhurst Road in Cinderford has now been completed, and the demolition and removal team have now left the site.
‘It is important to note that the cost of this process should not be borne by the taxpayer, and we are now working to recover the full cost of the demolition from the landowner.
‘We would once again like to thank local residents for their patience and understanding during this process.’
After receiving approval to proceed with the demolition, the site was secured on 31 May 2024 to carry out the work.
This follows a lengthy legal process where Mr Wildin received multiple court orders to demolish the building and served time in prison for contempt of court, the council said.
Mr Wildin first took steps to construct a leisure centre in the back garden of one of two adjacent houses he then owned at Meendhurst Road in November 2013, prompting a member of the public to submit a complaint to the Forest of Dean District Council.
Shortly after the start of construction, various council officers advised Wildin that the proposed building was not ‘permitted development’ and required planning permission.
Demolition of the property began in June (Picture: SWNS)
The row has been ongoing since 2014 (Picture: SWNS)Following a series of warnings, in November 2018 the council obtained an injunction against Wildin, and he was given until 25 April 2020 to demolish the leisure building.
In legal proceedings brought by Forest of Dean District Council in June 2022, Wildin was found in contempt of court for non-compliance with the injunction.
The judge sentenced him to six weeks imprisonment suspended for 12 months, on the condition that the building be permanently stripped and decommissioned within 18 weeks.
Wildin subsequently appealed the decision.
Mr Wildin has previously served jail time over his refusal to tear down the complex (Picture: SWNS)The appeal was dismissed, and he was given until March 10 2022 to comply with the Order to complete the required work, if he was to avoid prison. Again, he did not comply with the injunction and was sentenced to six-weeks imprisonment in August 2022.
In March 2023 Wildin appealed the prison sentence, this was also dismissed. The latest deadline for Wildin to comply with the injunction expired in early January 2023.
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