Hollywood Filmmaker Loses High Court Bid for Historic Family Estate

Hollywood filmmaker Hopwood DePree has lost a High Court battle against Rochdale Borough Council, failing to regain access to his family's 600-year-old ancestral mansion, Hopwood Hall. A judge ruled that the conditions for the transfer of ownership, stipulated in a 2017 agreement, were not met, effectively denying DePree access to the Grade II-listed property.

DePree, who is from Michigan in the United States, discovered the dilapidated Hopwood Hall in 2013 while researching his lineage. The property, located in Middleton, Greater Manchester, was found in a state of neglect with broken windows, collapsing ceilings, and water damage. In 2017, he reportedly struck a deal with Rochdale Borough Council to take ownership of the estate for £1. By 2022, he had secured permission to convert the hall into an events venue and had invested approximately £750,000 into its restoration.

However, in 2024, Rochdale Council revoked its consent, citing health and safety breaches, and the building was subsequently closed, barring DePree and his team. The core of the dispute centered on whether planning permission granted in 2022 was sufficient to fulfill the terms of the 2017 agreement for ownership transfer.

At the Manchester Civil Justice Centre, His Honour Judge David Hodge KC ruled that the 2022 planning permission was not adequate to trigger the transfer of ownership. The judge stated that the matter was a contractual interpretation issue, not one of perceived grievances. "In my judgment the defendant's submission better fit the option agreement," Judge Hodge said, refusing to grant DePree relief.

DePree described the decision as "incredibly disappointing" and a "huge blow" to his supporters and heritage rescue groups. The council contended that the 2022 permission only constituted a 'change of use' and did not authorize the physical refurbishment works they claimed were necessary before the transfer could be finalized. DePree's representatives argued that the agreement never mandated a single, all-encompassing planning permission for every aspect of the restoration, which was expected to cost tens of millions of pounds.

A spokesperson for Rochdale Council expressed pleasure with the judgment but regretted the necessity of a costly court battle, adding that the hall would be used for the community's benefit in the future.

Hopwood Hall, dating back to 1426, has a notable history, having hosted figures such as Guy Fawkes and Lord Byron, who reportedly finished his poem 'Childe Harold's Pilgrimage' at the estate. DePree's own ancestry is linked to the hall through his 17th-century relative John Hopwood. DePree relocated to Britain to lead the restoration efforts with the assistance of volunteers and heritage experts, documenting his journey in a book titled 'Downton Shabby'.

It is understood that DePree plans to appeal the court's decision.