William Eichler 22 April 2025

Council spends £220k demolishing ‘man cave’

Council spends £220k demolishing ‘man cave’ image
© Allison H. Smith / Shutterstock.com.

Forest of Dean District Council was forced to spend £220,000 demolishing an illegally built leisure complex belonging to a millionaire.

Dubbed ‘Britain's biggest man cave’, the building housed a bowling alley, casino, and cinema and was constructed without planning permission.

A council spokesperson said efforts to recover the £220,000 from the landowner were ‘actively underway’.

They added: ‘These rules are in place to ensure development is carried out legally, safely, and in a way that protects our communities and shared environment.

‘When individuals choose to ignore these rules, they not only act unlawfully but place an unfair burden on the wider public.’

Skills Pipelines: What local government needs to know image

Skills Pipelines: What local government needs to know

Councils and mayors are to be handed a central role in developing skills pipelines for local industries, as the Government unveils what it calls a ‘fundamental change’ to the education system aimed at tackling youth unemployment. Here's what council leaders and officers need to know.
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