A two-storey property in Great Abington, Cambridgeshire, which was approved as a commercial building for a horse clinic and laboratory, has been demolished after its owners secretly converted it into a three-bedroom home. The million-pound property, built in 2017, was ordered to be torn down six years later by council officers.
The demolition process began in April and is now virtually complete, with only the foundations of the two-storey building remaining. Earlier stages of the demolition showed the roof being removed, followed by the wooden support beams. The structure was then progressively dismantled until only the ground floor skeleton, surrounded by scaffolding, remained.
Owners Jeremy and Elaine Zielinski, aged 75 and 80 respectively, expressed bitterness over the decision, stating it cost them approximately £1 million. Jeremy Zielinski argued that the original planning permission was granted for the physical building itself and that the council's action was "ludicrous," especially given the housing shortage.
Local residents, however, largely supported the council's decision, with one stating that while the house "looked okay," the owners were not given permission to build a house.
The Zielinskis purchased a property with 17 acres of land in 1986. In 2014, South Cambridgeshire District Council granted them planning permission for a countryside business, including a ground-floor reception area, office, kitchenette, laboratory space, and staff changing rooms, with two first-floor bedrooms for staff.
Work on the property began in 2017. The couple sold their own home two years later and moved into a static home on the site. They claim a neighbour informed the council about the property not adhering to the agreed design, leading to a July 2023 enforcement notice ordering its demolition.
An appeal to the Planning Inspectorate was unsuccessful. Planning inspector Chris Preston noted the property had a "decidedly residential appearance," featuring a kitchen with a breakfast bar, domestic furnishings, a dining area, living room, and home office. Upstairs, a lounge was equipped with a sofa and television.
Preston concluded that the property had been built as a house from the outset and that there was "very little evidence that the stallion semen collection and analysis business ever got off the ground to any notable degree." He noted minimal financial transactions related to laboratory fees and no clear indication that any analysis was conducted at the site.
Despite the Zielinskis' claims that the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted their business plans and that the death of their daughter had impacted their ability to fight the enforcement notice, Preston ruled that the "clear and flagrant breach of planning policy" and associated harm justified the demolition order.
The Zielinskis arranged for a contractor to dismantle the building rather than demolish it, salvaging parts like timber frames and windows to reduce the cost. They plan to sell the land and stables to fund a move to Thailand, estimating they will be left with around £350,000. They had hoped to move to Australia to be closer to family but stated this was now beyond their budget due to the financial losses.
A council spokesman confirmed that the foundations must be removed to fully comply with the enforcement notice and that the council is reviewing the matter to determine the next steps.