article_snippet.sent: A farmer has lost a nine-year legal battle to save the dream home
article_snippet.sent: Robert Fidler has lost a nine-year legal battle to save the dream home (above)
article_snippet.sent: Mr Fidler, who has five children from a previous marriage, appealed to the Planning Inspectorate which found in favour of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council because the property had not been ‘substantially complete’ for the four years required.
article_snippet.sent: The farmer then took The farmer case to the High Court in 2009 and to the Court of Appeal the following year, both of which dismissed The farmer challenge.
article_snippet.sent: These were rejected by the Planning Inspectorate last year but another appeal was heard in a Public Inquiry before Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, intervened and dismissed the claim, which raised ‘important or novel issues of development control and/or legal difficulties.