Cheshire farmhouse faces demolition after years of planning disputes

A Cheshire farmhouse is due to be demolished after years of legal challenges over whether it was built without planning permission on green belt land. Cheshire West and Chester Council said the work transformed a 19th-century barn into a new house, while its owner, retired builder Barry Devine, argued permission was not needed.

Devine bought the property at Dones View Farm in 2000 and spent 19 years converting it. He lost appeals to the Planning Inspectorate, High Court and Court of Appeal, but did not comply with the demolition order issued in 2019; he was later found guilty of breaching the enforcement notice. Demolition is scheduled to cost £20,000, with sentencing adjourned until 21 December and council inspectors due to check progress on 14 December.