13 hours ago
Omaze dream house winner and former Miss Wales finalist still hasn't had keys to £6m property
Omaze dream house winner and former Miss Wales finalist still hasn't had keys to £6m property
The property is bogged down in a planning row which might even mean it has to be altered before it can be passed on to Vicky Curtis-Cresswell
Omaze Million Pound House Norfolk winner Victoria Curtis-Cresswell with husband Dale
(Image: Mark Field Photography / Omaze )
A former Miss Wales finalist who won a £6m Norfolk coastal home is still waiting to receive the keys due to unresolved planning breaches. Vicky Curtis-Cresswell, 38, had never owned her own home and was living with her family until she won the spectacular property.
Vicky stated that winning the luxury Blakeney property in an Omaze competition three months ago had "changed her life forever". Before she won the huge prize, she lived with her husband Dale, 41, and their young daughter at her in-law's three-bedroom house in Wales, as the family were in the process of house hunting for a rental property.
However, her intention to sell the multi-million pound mansion is currently on hold after an investigation revealed that the Larkfields property was constructed differently from the approved plans.
When the win was announced, Vicky said she hoped to sell the mansion to "buy another amazing house somewhere in Wales."
The house in Norfolk won by Victoria Curtis-Cresswell in the Omaze Million Pound House Draw
(Image: Omaze )
Omaze, a company that purchases luxury properties as competition prizes to raise funds for charity, has pledged to rectify a series of planning breaches and cover any associated costs before transferring ownership.
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However, it may be a while before the 38-year-old from south Wales can fully enjoy her windfall, as Omaze could be embroiled in a protracted planning dispute with North Norfolk District Council.
The company is in the process of submitting a retrospective planning application, aiming to secure permission for any construction work that lacked prior approval.
Details regarding the issues uncovered during the council's investigation have not yet been publicly disclosed. Love dreamy Welsh homes? Sign up to our newsletter here
However, an examination of planning documents and photographs of the property suggests that it has been built larger than permitted.
Other potential planning infringements include a tennis court and swimming pool, which seemingly lack the required approvals.
A swimming pool at the property
Omaze has stated that the planning discrepancies were not disclosed during the evaluations and inspections carried out prior to its purchase.
A spokesperson for Omaze said: "Omaze continues to work with North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) 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.
"Omaze will transfer ownership of the property to the winner once all planning matters are resolved."
In response, NNDC proposed a list of measures for Omaze to address the issues at hand.
A representative for NNDC remarked: "At present we are waiting for an application to be submitted by the owners to try and regularise the current breaches of planning control.
"We are expecting an application to be submitted by the end of this month."
However, there is no guarantee Omaze will be granted retrospective permission for the breaches.
The application could be refused, which might result in the council taking enforcement action against Omaze to force it to make changes.
Such a scenario would mirror the case of Arcady – the luxurious Cley residence built by West End producer Adam Speigel, who was ordered to reconstruct his property following a protracted planning row over deviations from the original design.
The fiasco has potentially cost him millions of pounds to rectify the issues.
Throughout the investigation, Omaze has consistently reassured the public that any prize winner would not be burdened with any potential costs arising from the planning discrepancies.
Larkfields, a grand three-bedroom home modelled after the opulent mansions in New York's exclusive Hamptons area, was touted as Omaze's largest ever prize draw.
The competition raised millions of pounds for Comic Relief.
However, the discovery of planning violations cast a shadow over the high-profile contest, which was organised for Red Nose Day. Omaze initially planned to announce the winner live on BBC One, but this plan was scrapped following the revelations about the planning breaches.
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Founded in the US, the company pledges at least 17% of the funds raised through its prize draws will go to charities.
