'An Englishman's home IS his castle': Millionaire wins right to ban planning inspectors from nosing round his home

Published 24th Jan 2012

* Mansion was inspiration for hymn 'All Things Bright
and Beautiful'
* Council made up to 20 visits to inspect building work
* Matter went to court when homeowner Kim Davies
refused architectural historian entry to the property
* Court refuses to issue council warrant and awards Mr
Davies £500 costs


It is a country estate of such beauty that it inspired the composition of one of our best loved hymns.

But the mansion behind ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’ was the subject of an unholy row in court today over its modernised interior.

Conservation officials failed in their demand for access to Llanwenarth House to check on renovations and were told by the owner: ‘An Englishman's home is his castle.’

Millionaire Kim Davies, 56, told a court how planning inspectors had made up to 20 visits to the country mansion after they feared the Grade II listed property had been given a ‘footballer's wife-style’ makeover.

But he refused their request for an architectural historian to inspect the Elizabethan manor which is nestled in the idyllic Usk Valley in South Wales, and Brecon Beacons National Park Authority took him to court.

National Park planning officer Clare Jones told the hearing she had visited the property at least 10 times and wanted to carry out further checks.

She said: ‘The authority has now engaged a conservation expert who needs to advise us about the works that have taken place.

‘He will advise the authority if the history of the building has been compromised and on remedial work to put the building back to its original state.’

Mr Davies, a builder and car dealer, bought the house for £675,000 in 2007 and has since spent more than £1million on it.

He admits that a new kitchen and bathrooms have been installed but claims the work falls outside the restrictions on listed buildings.

Planning officials were called in after it was compared to a ‘footballer's wife monstrosity’ which may have damaged the historic gem and an injunction was taken out to stop further work.

Mr Davies told magistrates in Abergavenny that he had always complied with the regular inspections by the National Park officials.

But he opposed the application for a warrant to enter the property saying: ‘Enough is enough.’

He continued: ‘I have to take a stand. No further work has taken place since their last visit.

‘My sister is suffering from cancer and is convalescing at my home at the moment.

‘They have been there up to 20 times and I'm not prepared to let them come again.’

Dr Charles Mynor, representing Mr Davies, told the hearing: ‘There is no evidence of any new works or that anything extra has happened.

‘It seems that the National Park are coming back for another bite of a cherry that has already been bitten on many occasions.’

The magistrates refused to grant the Brecon Beacons National Park a warrant to enter the property and awarded £500 costs to Mr Davies.

Chairman of the bench Dr Christopher Rowlands told the court: ‘Mr Davies has said under oath that no further work has been carried out on the property and on those grounds the application is refused.’

After the case, Mr Davies said: ‘I have always welcomed the National Park people when they have visited my home.

‘But it is my home and there has to be a limit to the number of times they want to have a look around.

‘I would get a letter one day saying they were coming the next. I opposed the warrant because quite simply enough is enough.

‘An Englishman's home is his castle - only in this case it's a Welshman's home.’

But the refurbishment work by property developer has not won universal songs of praise.

Before the hearing Monmouthshire county councillor Christine Walby said: ‘The house is an architectural gem and the park authority has a legal obligation to ensure that listed buildings are preserved.

Source: ' Daily Mail '

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