I WAS ORDERED TO TEAR DOWN THE CAFE, CAR PARK AND ROAD I BUILT WITHOUT PERMISSION AT MY £20M MANSION BUT I REFUSED | THE SUN

A TYCOON has told how she won a planning battle after building a cafe, car park and road at her £20million without permission.

Emma Harrison wept when she heard that she had beaten planners who were demanding she rip down the new developments in a “blatant disregard” for their rules.

27/03/2023. For Sun Online: Tycoon Emma Harrison, who built a cafe and car park at her stately home – Thornbridge Hall, Derbys – without permission and was ordered to tear it down by The Peak Park Authority. Emma appealed the decision and a planning inspector has found in her favour, stating that the public, social and economic benefits outweighed harm to the environment. Pic shows Emma in the cafe which she helped to build and sometimes serves customers to help staff. Pic by Paul Tonge 07757 699788. Commissioned by The Sun.

Emma, 59, owns Grade II-listed Thornbridge Hall in the Derbyshire Peak District.

She fought against the Peak Park Authority after being slapped with an enforcement notice to remove the cafe, car park and a mile-long road,

With the help of her husband Jim, 63, her family, staff and many members of public she took them on and won.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun Online after her victory Emma said: “We appealed the council decision and won.

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“My biggest regret is that is cost an eye-watering £200,000 in fees for planning and legal experts. It’s a disgusting waste of money in that it could have been used for my philanthropy and doing positive things for the estate.

“But we had incredible and overwhelming support from people, and it is a house for everyone, forever. The community agreed with us – this place is for the hoi polloi not the posh people.”

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