Omaze Norfolk house winner overjoyed despite planning issue
A woman said she felt "pure joy" on finding out she had won a £6m house in a charity raffle, allowing her and her family to move out of her in-laws' home.Vicky Curtis-Cresswell from South Wales won the luxury Norfolk property, which is at the centre of a planning dispute.Omaze, which ran the competition in partnership with Comic Relief, previously said it was working with North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) regarding recommendations about the property.The 41-year-old said: "I was absolutely flabbergasted. My sister in-law burst out crying; it was a mixture of shock and pure joy."
Ms Curtis-Cresswell, her husband and daughter, had been searching for a rental property while living at her in-laws' three-bedroom house."In a matter of seconds our lives changed forever and we became multi-millionaires," she said."My mother-in-law feels like she's won the jackpot as we can now move out!"It's just crazy. One week we're worrying about our old car breaking down, the next thing we've got a £6m house."The former Miss Wales finalist plans to sell the property in Blakeney and buy a house in Wales."We'll be having a big party in Norfolk before we sell up. We can't wait to invite all our friends and family," she added.The council began investigating the seaside home after an anonymous member of the public raised concerns, saying it had not been built to the approved designs.It is understood that the council had given Omaze a deadline of Wednesday to respond to a list of requirements, and the council confirmed it had received a response.A spokesperson for the council said: "No formal action will be taken whilst the matter is being actively progressed."
Omaze previously said: "Omaze reiterates that it guarantees no house winner would ever have to incur any costs whatsoever to remedy any historical planning issue."It said the prize draw had raised £4m for Comic Relief.
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Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
UK winner of £6m Omaze mansion still doesn't have keys 3 months on
Former Miss Wales finalist Vicky Curtis-Cresswell, 38, was over the moon when she won the luxurious home in Norfolk in February, but behind the facade the house had some problems The winner of a £6million Omaze house is still waiting to receive the keys to her mansion nearly three months after winning the draw. Former Miss Wales finalist Vicky Curtis-Cresswell, 38, described her delight when she learned that she had won the luxurious Larkfields home in Norfolk in February, saying it felt like 'an enormous weight had been lifted'. The mansion was the most expensive home ever given as a prize in a UK draw, raising £4million for Comic Relief in the process. However, underneath the perfect facade the home has some serious problems. The tennis court and swimming pool, talked-up in Omaze's marketing to promote the draw, reportedly do not have planning permission. The mansion, modelled on the luxurious seaside villas in the Hamptons in Long Island, was also built larger than was permitted. An investigation is underway, with North Norfolk District Council announcing in March it would look into the property after a member of the public complained it had not been built to the submitted blueprints, the BBC reported. Omaze has said it is filing a retrospective planning application. The company said they had not found the planning issues when carrying out checks and surveys before it was bought. The Mirror has asked the company for a comment. A spokesperson previously told the Mail: 'Omaze continues to work with North Norfolk District Council in relation to recommendations made regarding the property in Norfolk. 'Omaze has submitted a pre-application to the council and is submitting a retrospective planning application.' The company reiterated its guarantee that no house winner would ever have to incur any costs whatsoever to remedy any historical planning issue. It added that all house prizes are transferred to winners with good and marketable title. The spokesperson added: ''Omaze will transfer ownership of the property to the winner once all planning matters are resolved.' If the council officers decide to refuse the retrospective planning permission then the local authority could order the company to make changes to the house so it is in line with the original plans. Ms Curtis-Cresswell, who never owned her own home before winning the prize after buying a ticket for £10, has said she wants to sell it and buy a property in her native Wales. She currently lives with her husband, Dale, 41, and young daughter at her in-laws' three-bedroom house in Wales. The family were looking for a place to rent when their big win happened. 'I was absolutely flabbergasted, my sister-in-law burst out crying. It was a mixture of pure shock and joy,' Ms Curtis-Cresswell told reporters back in March. 'Like a lot of people, it's fair to say times can be tough. We both work so hard but things can still feel stretched some months. Winning this house feels like an enormous weight has been lifted.' The 5,000sq ft mansion came with a summer house, all-weather AstroTurf tennis court, £165,000 worth of furnishings and £250,000 cash. North Norfolk District Council said they were waiting for an application to be submitted by the owners to try and 'regularise the current breaches of planning control'. They said they expected the application to be submitted by the end of the month. The Mirror has approached the council for a comment.
The Independent
15 hours ago
- The Independent
Omaze house winner left in limbo over prize home
Vicky Curtis-Cresswell won a £6m luxury house in Blakeney, Norfolk, through an Omaze and Comic Relief raffle in March. She is currently unable to access her prize due to an ongoing planning dispute initiated by an anonymous complaint. North Norfolk District Council is investigating concerns that the house was not built to approved designs, with reports indicating it is larger than permitted and includes unapproved tennis courts and a swimming pool. Omaze has submitted a pre-application and is preparing a retrospective planning application for the property. Omaze guarantees that house winners will not incur any costs to remedy historical planning issues and that all prizes are transferred with good title.
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The Independent
16 hours ago
- The Independent
Winner of £6m Omaze house still waiting for keys after anonymous complaint sparks planning row
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