3 days ago
Hotelier who spent £55k building his own canal and 'giant cupcake' in back garden 'fears for his business' ahead of showdown with council
A hotelier who spent £55,000 building his own canal and a 'giant cupcake' wedding venue in his garden faces having to rip them down after falling foul of planning laws.
Stephen Cuddy made headlines after building his own mini-canal system with a functioning lock and a narrowboat, which he converted into a swimming pool.
He went on to construct a cupcake-shaped wedding venue within the grounds of Grimscote Manor Hotel in Coleshill, Warwickshire.
Both creations were hailed by TV's George Clarke as being among the best 'Amazing Spaces' he had ever featured on the Channel 4 show.
But it has now emerged Stephen didn't have council approval to build either.
And he has been warned that both may have to be torn down if he doesn't get retrospective planning permission.
Stephen, 59, fears will have no choice but to demolish his labours of love, as he can't afford the legal fees to fight the local authority after splashing out on the projects.
He claims it would cost him up to £100,000 to defend their construction.
The self-taught architect said: 'It's really stressing me out and I don't know what to do as I don't have the money to fight them.
'I had issues from the start with the council but I thought I could build these things as a result of my permitted development rights.
'I don't agree the canal is a structure, I thought it would be classed under landscaping and all it does is harvest rainfall.
'I think the cupcake might be a permanent structure if we do start hosting weddings there like we intended but at the moment it's not being used for that.
'You try and create all these beautiful things for people to enjoy and this is what happens. I'm sure they will try and make me pull them down.
'I fear for my business as these creations are a draw for people and we saw revenue increase when both were built - some people even come just to have a photo with it.'
Stephen previously purchased a 35ft (10m) long vintage barge off eBay for £5,000 and spent £25,000 constructing an accurate reproduction of a Victorian canal lock to house it.
He also built a redbrick lockkeeper's cottage, an outdoor patio within a decorative tunnel alcove and installed a 29ft (8m) long swimming pool inside the barge.
Stephen then spent £25,000 building the 'world's biggest cupcake' on a reinforced stable roof which he had planned to use for weddings or to host tea parties.
It has an unsupported, domed roof without any vertical central upright. George Clarke described it as 'Genuinely one of my favourite Amazing Spaces builds of all time.'
North Warwickshire District Council also say a marquee erected at the hotel breaches planning laws and also requires planning permission.
Stephen added: 'They also have issues with the marquee which I've had for over ten years at which point you can claim lawful use regardless of permission.
'But because I took it down during Covid, they are also pulling me up on that as it doesn't come under the ten year lawful use period.
'I previously obtained the relevant permissions for the marquee when it was first erected in 2009 but that wasn't without a fight which cost £50,000 in legal fees.
'It was originally refused on safety grounds because of the increased traffic - and that is why I fear the worst now if they try to pull the same trick again.
'They want me to send in a joint application for all three things, but I think they should all be dealt with separately. I don't even know why they suddenly have an issue with marquee.
'It's a £100,000 defence I've estimated if I fight it all the way, which I just don't have.
'We've had no complaints whatsoever, exactly the opposite, everyone loves them. There would be uproar if I had to tear them down.
'I'm just trying to run a business and want to move on to other projects but have this lingering over me now.
'I think the council need a lesson in how to deal people with a bit of tact and humility instead of threats because this has really broken me.'
The council says Mr Cuddy (pictured) can still opt to apply for full planning permission if he wants to keep all of the things he has built
North Warwickshire District Council said several options were still open to Stephen before enforcement action would be taken.
In a letter to Stephen, a planning officer said: 'During the subsequent tour of the hotel grounds, breaches of planning control were identified here.
'Located between the hotel building and the marquee is a round structure with a turret style roof, externally this structure resembles the shape of a cupcake.
'It is nearing completion and has been constructed on top of an existing stable block structure.
'There is no permitted development rights afforded to C1 Hotel use land by the GPDO that would allow for this structure without the need for planning permission.
'Upon entry to the site, a canal feature comprising a to scale canal lock, boat and tunnel can be seen.
'There is no planning permission to account for this. This is not "permitted development" and would be considered an engineering operation.
'It can be seen via Streetview imagery that this development was constructed between November 2021 and July 2023.
'It will need to be shown in a retrospective full planning application for formal consideration.
'For the avoidance of formal enforcement action, you are advised to submit a valid 'Full Planning Application' detailing retention of the Wedding Marquee, 'Cupcake' structure and Canal feature, as identified above.
'If you do not wish to apply for retrospective planning permission, a timeframe for removal of these developments may need to be agreed.'
A North Warwickshire Borough Council spokesperson said: 'We have explained the planning situation to Mr Cuddy and have outlined several options open to him.
