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With a nickname like Pirate Island, it would have been a brave planning enforcer indeed who tried to invade the shores and send in the bulldozers.
But now, after months of legal wrangling, a wealthy landowner who spent millions building his own pirate themed island only to be told it could be knocked down, has finally been granted planning permission.
But now, after months of legal wrangling, a wealthy landowner who spent millions building his own pirate themed island only to be told it could be knocked down, has finally been granted planning permission.
James Challis, 29, heir to a quarrying and haulage fortune, created 60-acre ‘Challis Island’ on a lake owned by his family.
Mr Challis spent several million pounds creating the artificial island in the middle of the lake on his family’s country estate five miles north of Cambridge, and transforming it into his own pirate-themed paradise.
Mr Challis spent several million pounds creating the artificial island in the middle of the lake on his family’s country estate five miles north of Cambridge, and transforming it into his own pirate-themed paradise.
The fantasy village, themed like a set from Pirates of the Caribbean, has a working pub, guest house, boat dock and waterfall.
Mr Challis reportedly built the island in tribute to his late grandfather and family business founder John Dickerson who bought the site in the 1970s.
But he neglected to get planning permission and faced a battle to get it approved by South Cambridgeside District Council.
A retrospective application was submitted but then withdrawn and a new application was submitted with a bigger area of land containing trees and hedges to wall it off.
Luckily for Mr Challis the new application was widely supported allowing him to keep his home.
Mr Challis reportedly built the island in tribute to his late grandfather and family business founder John Dickerson who bought the site in the 1970s.
But he neglected to get planning permission and faced a battle to get it approved by South Cambridgeside District Council.
A retrospective application was submitted but then withdrawn and a new application was submitted with a bigger area of land containing trees and hedges to wall it off.
Luckily for Mr Challis the new application was widely supported allowing him to keep his home.
Cllr Nick Wright, the council’s cabinet member for planning and economic development, said: 'This has been a very interesting and unique application as it is not often you have someone build a pirate island - let alone this far from the sea.'
Mr Dickerson founded a haulage firm which recently sold for several million pounds.
He had originally bought the site which boasts the impressive island thirty years ago for the extraction of sand and gravel.
He lived on a boathouse on the lake and added an office and stables before suddenly dying in 1999.
Mr Dickerson founded a haulage firm which recently sold for several million pounds.
He had originally bought the site which boasts the impressive island thirty years ago for the extraction of sand and gravel.
He lived on a boathouse on the lake and added an office and stables before suddenly dying in 1999.
Mr Challis then adopted the site before setting about recreating his fantasy on the deserted land.
He employed Master Wish Makers - specialists in making the eccentric dreams of the rich come true - who helped him transform the site.
They created a fantastical pirate island complete with five Georgian-style, 18th century buildings set among cascading waterfalls and ornamental shrubbery.
He employed Master Wish Makers - specialists in making the eccentric dreams of the rich come true - who helped him transform the site.
They created a fantastical pirate island complete with five Georgian-style, 18th century buildings set among cascading waterfalls and ornamental shrubbery.
A spokesman from the company said: 'We’re over the moon and we were always sure it was going to happen.
'We were confident about it, but we’re still very happy it’s all gone through as it took us around 14 months to do.'
All of the island’s buildings were made from wooden oak and Douglas fir frames, with roofs made from cedar tiles or thatch for authenticity
The buildings - all for private use - include a fully-working one-and-a-half-a-storey pub called The Black Dubloon.
There is also a guest house called Coffer’s Cabin, in the style of a military commander’s office, a beach hut named Lubber’s Locker and a sun deck.
'We were confident about it, but we’re still very happy it’s all gone through as it took us around 14 months to do.'
All of the island’s buildings were made from wooden oak and Douglas fir frames, with roofs made from cedar tiles or thatch for authenticity
The buildings - all for private use - include a fully-working one-and-a-half-a-storey pub called The Black Dubloon.
There is also a guest house called Coffer’s Cabin, in the style of a military commander’s office, a beach hut named Lubber’s Locker and a sun deck.
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