THE demolition of “Britain’s biggest man cave” cost taxpayers around £220,000 – and the council wants millionaire accountant Graham Wildin, who built the huge leisure complex, to foot the bill.

Forest of Dean District Council demolished and removed the 10,000sq ft building in Meendhurst Road in Cinderford last summer.

The leisure complex at the back of the home of Mr Wildin, 73, had a bowling alley, casino and a cinema and was built without planning permission in 2014.

FILE PHOTO - Photo taken during the late stage of construction of Graham Wildin's massive garden lesiure centre which is finally being torn down. Photo released July 10 2024. The roof has been torn off the UK's “biggest man cave” which is finally being demolished after a decade-long planning battle. Millionaire Graham Wildin, 70, continuously defied court orders to knock down his illegal 10,000sq/ft leisure complex - and has even served jail time over it. The row has been ongoing since 2014 when he built the 'man cave' with a bowling alley, casino and a cinema at the back of his home - without planning permission. The Forest of Dean District Council started pulling it down in June - and this week the roof had been torn off, revealing the gutted inside.
Graham Wildin sitting in the cinema after his man cave was finished (David Hedges / SWNS)

It was dubbed Britan’s biggest man cave and the council was in a ten year battle over the planning breach.

Demolishing the illegal development has cost the taxpayer around £220k to complete and the authority has started proceedings to reclaim the full cost from the landowner.

The high profile case highlights the critical importance in complying with planning rules, council chiefs say.

And they say when individuals choose to ignore the rules they not only act unlawfully but place an unfair burden on the wider public.

FILE PHOTO - Photo taken during the late stage of construction of Graham Wildin's massive garden lesiure centre which is finally being torn down. Photo released July 10 2024. The roof has been torn off the UK's “biggest man cave” which is finally being demolished after a decade-long planning battle. Millionaire Graham Wildin, 70, continuously defied court orders to knock down his illegal 10,000sq/ft leisure complex - and has even served jail time over it. The row has been ongoing since 2014 when he built the 'man cave' with a bowling alley, casino and a cinema at the back of his home - without planning permission. The Forest of Dean District Council started pulling it down in June - and this week the roof had been torn off, revealing the gutted inside.
Graham Wildin lost his gamble on getting away with building a leisure complex in his garden without planning permission (David Hedges / SWNS)

The authority says it will continue to act decisively to tackle planning breaches.

Councillors praised the “extreme determination and courage” of the council’s solicitor Helen Clarke at a recent meeting which confirmed her appointment to the role.

Property and projects cabinet member Sid Phelps (G, Lydbrook) said the whole council should be “extremely grateful” to her.

“If nothing else for her extreme determination and courage in taking on one of the biggest enforcement issues we’ve had in this council,” he said.

“And, to be honest, if we hadn’t taken it on this council’s enforcement would not have been worth a ha’p’orth.”

A council spokesperson confirmed this week that around £220k was spent on the completed demolition of the illegal development at Meendhurst Road in Cinderford, as agreed at full council.

“These funds were drawn from council approved resources, and recovery proceedings are actively underway to reclaim the full cost from the landowner,” they said.

“This case highlights the critical importance of complying with planning regulations. 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.

“The council takes such breaches extremely seriously and will continue to act decisively to uphold the planning system and protect the interests of our residents.”

Mr Wildin has been approached for comment.