An arrest warrant has been issued by a High Court judge for a farmer who failed to comply with an order to demolish his property.
Robert Fidler built a four-bedroomed home at Honeycrock Farm, Salfords, Surrey, without any planning permission in 2000. His family moved in two years later when the property was complete, but the house was hidden from view by a mountain of straw bales for four years. He had chosen to hide the property behind straw bales until he had become immune from planning controls set out in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
The Act establishes that after four years no enforcement action can be brought against a breach of planning control. However this was contested by authorities in Mr Fidlers case as he had kept the property hidden from sight so there had been no opportunity to notice a breach.
In 2007 the Council ordered Mr Fidler to demolish the property and he has continued to appeal this decision. The decision to order the property to be demolished was upheld in both the High Court back in 2010 as well as the Court of Appeal.
The authority had begun contempt of court proceedings against Mr Fidler after he had failed to comply with outstanding enforcement notices and an injunction which required the property to be demolished.
On 22 October 2015 Mr Justice Dove issued an arrest warrant for Mr Fidler after he failed to attend a committal hearing in London. He later adjourned the case date to early November to provide Mr Fidler with a final chance to explain why he has breached the orders.
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council released a statement ruling out suggestions that the property could stay. They stated: ''The construction breached national and local planning rules designed to protect the green belt, which local authorities like ours have a duty to uphold.''
