A MILLIONAIRE'S ten-year battle to save Britain's 'biggest man cave' is finally over - as pictures show it has been totally demolished, reports TOM BEVAN of SWNS.

The site of Graham Wildin's man cave which he was forced to demolish. Cinderford, Gloucestershire. October 24 2024. Photo released October 27 2024. A millionaire's ten-year battle to save Britain's 'biggest man cave' is finally over - as pictures show it has been totally demolished. Graham Wildin, 70, has spent more than a decade fighting to preserve 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 drone pictures this week show it now resembles a 'concrete car park.'
Graham Wildin's man cave has been totally demolished (Tom Wren / SWNS)

Graham Wildin, 70, has spent more than a decade fighting to preserve his illegal 10,000sq/ft leisure complex in his Forest of Dean garden - 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 Meendhurst Road home in Cinderford - without planning permission.

Forest of Dean District Council started pulling it down in June - and new drone pictures show it now resembles a 'concrete car park.'

The complex had also included plush squash courts, a soft play area, a bar, a gym and a bowling alley.

But a relieved local resident said they were delighted to see it gone.

"It’s about time. We get a full view of it from here. Absolutely, I’m happy to see it go," they said.

“I think all the people down the bottom (of the road) are very happy.”

Mr Wildin declined to comment on the demolition but the full removal brings an end to a lengthy battle to try and preserve it, although a battle over the costs of the demolition are set to continue.

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)

Forest of Dean District Council confirmed the demolition was now complete and they would be pursuing payment from Mr Wildin.

A spokesperson said: “The demolition of the building built without planning permission at Meendhurst Road in Cinderford has now been completed, and the demolition and removal team have now left the site.

“It is important to note that the cost of this process should not be borne by the taxpayer, and we are now working to recover the full cost of the demolition from the landowner.

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)

“We would once again like to thank local residents for their patience and understanding during this process.”

After receiving approval to proceed with the demolition, the site was secured on 31 May 2024 to carry out the work.

This follows a lengthy legal process where Mr Wildin received multiple court orders to demolish the building and served time in prison for contempt of court, the council said.

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.
The man cave included a gym (David Hedges / SWNS)

Mr Wildin first took steps to construct a leisure centre in the back garden of one of two adjacent houses he then owned at Meendhurst Road in November 2013, prompting a member of the public to submit a complaint to the Forest of Dean District Council.

Shortly after the start of construction, various council officers advised Wildin that the proposed building was not ‘permitted development’ and required planning permission.

Following a series of warnings, in November 2018 the council obtained an injunction against Wildin, and he was given until 25 April 2020 to demolish the leisure building.

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.
The Forest Council scored a strike when they sent in a demolition team (David Hedges / SWNS)

In legal proceedings brought by Forest of Dean District Council in June 2022, Wildin was found in contempt of court for non-compliance with the injunction.

The judge sentenced him to six weeks imprisonment suspended for 12 months, on the condition that the building be permanently stripped and decommissioned within 18 weeks.

Mr Wildin subsequently appealed the decision.

FILE PICTURE - Graham Wildin inside the leisure centre he has built for himself and his family in his back garden.  Neighbours of a millionaire who illegally built 'Britain's best man cave' are furious - claiming a massive indoor swimming pool has now been built in the family's garden.  See SWNS story SWBRpool.  New aerial photos above Graham Wildin's home show a new building - which locals say started appearing late last year.  Accountant Wildin, 69, has already been ordered to tear down his extensive 'man cave' by a council - but still refuses to do so.  Documents show he has transferred the ownership of two adjacent properties to a company run by his kids.  And now in the back garden of one of them a large building has appeared - which locals say is an indoor pool.  There appears to be inflatable toys piled on the decking outside.  Drone images show the new building stands alongside the controversial illegal complex that includes a cinema, squash court and bowling alley.  It is unclear whether he needed planning permission for the latest expansion as some pools are deemed 'permitted developments' depending on the scale.  However, no applications appear to have been submitted by Forest Dean Council in relation to it.  A council spokesperson said they couldn't comment due to the ongoing legal proceedings.
Graham Wildin has also been ordered to park no more than two cars in the street and remove CCTV vans from Meendhurst Road (SWNS)

The appeal was dismissed, and he was given until March 10 2022 to comply with the Order to complete the required work, if he was to avoid prison.

Again, he did not comply with the injunction and was sentenced to six-weeks imprisonment in August 2022.

In March 2023, Mr Wildin appealed the prison sentence, this was also dismissed.

The latest deadline for him to comply with the injunction expired in early January 2023.