Salfords Farmer Arrest Ordered

A High Court judge has ordered the arrest of a farmer who refused to tear down a mock-Tudor castle he built in Salfords without planning permission.

Robert Fidler hid the four-bedroom home behind hay bales for four years before it was discovered by officials.

He failed to appear at the High Court for a contempt of court hearing after refusing to demolish the house.

Mr Fidler built the house in 2002 at Honeycrock Farm in Salfords.

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council first ordered the house to be knocked down in 2007, and a government planning inspector rejected Mr Fidler’s appeal a year later. He said he hid the four-bedroom “castle” because he believed a house that stood for four years without objection had a legal right to remain.

Judge Mr Justice Dove said it was right to offer him one last opportunity to provide some explanation of his failure to demolish the house.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-34604171