The relatives of a wealthy individual who unlawfully constructed ‘Britain’s largest man cave’ have been granted authorization to convert an adjacent property into a vacation rental, despite objections from neighbors fearing it may transform into a ‘party venue’.
Graham Wildin, aged 71, has persistently defied court directives to dismantle his 10,000sq/ft recreational facility in Cinderford, Gloucestershire, and has even faced imprisonment as a consequence.
The dispute dates back to 2014 when Mr. Wildin erected the man cave, complete with a bowling alley, casino, and cinema, at the rear of his residence without the necessary planning consent.
In August 2022, Mr. Wildin was incarcerated for six weeks for failing to adhere to a court order mandating the decommissioning of the structure, and he has encountered several legal defeats since then.
Despite objections regarding parking, a ‘resonant’ hot tub, and lively saxophone gatherings, provisional approval has been granted for the conversion of the neighboring property into a holiday rental.
The six-bedroom dwelling at 24 Meendhurst Road abuts the notorious 10,000sq/ft recreational complex and purportedly belongs to his family, as per local reports.
Paradise Trustees, believed to have familial ties to Mr. Wildin, sought retrospective consent from the Forest of Dean District Council to repurpose the house as a vacation rental.
Numerous residents and the Cinderford Town Council opposed the holiday rental proposal for the neighboring property, citing concerns that it might become a ‘party hub’.
Locals expressed apprehensions that the property would draw large groups for raucous parties and loud music, leading to unwelcome noise disturbances preventing them from opening their windows.
According to objectors, during one event, a guest kept neighbors awake by playing a saxophone, prompting objections to the proposed plans.
Residents are also anxious about parked vehicles obstructing road access and refuse collection trucks, contending that the property’s size exceeds its intended use, will diminish property values, and is already impacting their ‘quality of life’.
They noted that the ‘echoey’ nature of the hot tub and all external social gatherings primarily occur in the front garden or on the raised deck area at the front of the property.
A local spokesperson representing 25 residents highlighted noise complaints, stress due to parking challenges, and waste management issues.
This development follows Mr. Wildin’s disclosure that he sold the complex to a Mexican individual for a mere £1 in March 2023, providing land registry documents to substantiate the transfer of ownership.
Mr. Wildin mentioned that the facility had been decommissioned, with restricted legal access and most contents relocated to other family members.
In December of the previous year, Mr. Wildin lost a legal battle against his neighbors over parking his extensive collection of vintage cars and vans outside their residences.
He had been parking his 11 classic cars, including a grey Bentley Turbo R and burgundy Austin 1100, along with two vans on the street, monitored by a network of CCTV cameras.
The court ruled that Mr. Wildin is prohibited from affixing CCTV surveillance cameras on the exterior of any vehicle or on extendable poles.
All these grievances were presented to the development management committee; however, council officers recommended the temporary approval of the plans until January 2026 to assess the highway and noise impacts adequately.
Ben Pearce, representing the applicants, stated that the vacation rental has been operational since July 2022 without any road-related issues.