Businessman Ordered to Demolish Hidden Stable Apartment After Decade-Long Use

A wealthy businessman has been ordered by the West Oxfordshire District Council to dismantle a hidden one-bedroom dwelling within a stable block on his £2.25 million estate. Haulage boss James George, 54, has been told to remove the living quarters, which were concealed for over a decade in a horseshoe-shaped stable structure near Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.

The accommodation, located near Jeremy Clarkson's Diddly Squat Farm and the Soho Farmhouse, did not have planning consent for residential use. George had argued that the dwelling should be exempt from enforcement action due to its continuous use for more than ten years, a claim allowed under planning law for unauthorized homes. However, the council ruled the unit unlawful, stating it had not been continuously occupied for the requisite decade to benefit from immunity.

Council officials alleged the home was deliberately concealed from authorities, noting it was not registered for council tax, lacked a separate postal address, and was not easily visible from the road. In a report, officials stated there was little evidence that the stables and tack rooms were used for equine activities, concluding that the dwelling appeared to have been "actively concealed and concealed by omission."

George, who stated he moved into the flat after splitting from his partner, expressed his disappointment with the council's decision. He told the Daily Mail that he felt an injustice had occurred, but acknowledged that the council's decision was based on a strict interpretation of the law. He had initially built the unit in 2014 as a potential residence for his mother and later used it for friends and his father. For the past five years, he had been living there himself following his separation, which allowed him to maintain regular access to his seven-year-old son.

George's country estate, currently listed for sale at £2.25 million, includes a four-bedroom house and extensive equestrian facilities with seven stables, a tack room, and a feed room. The stable block, originally designed to house up to eight horses, now primarily contains the living accommodation.

The situation came to light in November 2023 when George applied to the council for a Certificate of Lawfulness to have the flat officially recognized. He provided receipts and builder testimony indicating work began in March 2014. However, the council rejected his application.

A planning inspector, David Jones, ruled that the building was constructed unlawfully and that George failed to prove continuous occupation for the ten-year period required to avoid enforcement action. While Jones rejected the council's claim of deliberate concealment, he upheld the enforcement notice.

George has been given a six-month deadline to cease using the stables as accommodation, remove all fixtures and fittings, and revert the space to its original intended use. A spokesperson for West Oxfordshire District Council stated that individuals undertaking building work or changing land use should ensure they obtain necessary planning permission beforehand, adding that the council takes breaches of planning control seriously and acts proportionately.