A FARMER who built a castle behind bales of hay must tear it down after losing a six-year planning battle.
Robert Fidler, 63, built his "dream" house on Honeycrock Farm in Axes Lane, Salfords, without planning permission in 2002, hiding it behind tarpaulin and bales of hay until 2006.
When he took down the barricade Mr Fidler sought to use a legal loophole to keep the house, pointing out that he had not been asked for planning permission for four years.
Since then he has been locked in a battle with Reigate and Banstead Borough Council which claims the house, built secretly out of sight, is unlawful.
Last week the Planning Inspectorate ruled in favour of the council.
In her report, inspector Sally Morgan, said: "Mr Fidler, on his own admission, set out deliberately to deceive the council and to obtain a lawful dwelling house by the use of the four-year rule.
"His actions in constructing the dwelling house behind a wall of straw bales, and then living in the building for over four years before the bales were removed, was intended to conceal the building and its use from the council's knowledge and thus prevent any enforcement action from being taken before it was too late."
Councillor Mike Miller, the borough council's executive member for planning and development, welcomed the decision but admitted that the battle is probably not over.
He said: "I am delighted with the decision, it has been a long battle.
"I will be delighted when it is out of our hands, but what will be will be."
After the house was revealed in 2006, the council issued enforcement notices to remove it in February 2007.
Mr Fidler has previously appealed the decision unsuccessfully both to the council and in the High Court.
To date, there have been no complaints about the house made by members of the public.
Mr Fidler claims he originally built the house covertly because the council had failed to process an application for a cottage on the site.
This left the Fidler family living in a shed on the farm because the attached cottages had been cold and someone had to stay to care for the cattle.
