UK ex-Starbucks boss given 6 months to remove unauthorised tennis court
A former Starbucks executive has been ordered by a planning inspector to remove an unauthorized tennis court and other leisure structures from his countryside property in England. The council ruled that the land is agricultural and cannot be used as a residential garden.
Why it matters
This case underscores the strict enforcement of land-use regulations and the tension between private property development and environmental preservation.
A countryside property can be a private retreat, but transforming agricultural land into an elaborate leisure complex can bring planning rules into sharp focus. In Durley, near Southampton, a former Starbucks franchise executive’s ambitious garden makeover has ended in a planning setback after a three-year dispute. A planning inspector has backed Winchester City Council’s enforcement action, requiring the removal of the unauthorised tennis court and associated structures, alongside an end to the land’s unauthorised residential use, within six months.From countryside plot To leisure complexMark Hepburn, 53, purchased the property known as Cupressus for £740,000 in December 2017, according to The Sun. The six-bedroom home’s surrounding land was subsequently transformed with a range of recreational and residential features, including a bright blue tennis court, children’s playground, gym, bar and television room.The changes also included artificial grass, timber buildings and a gravel car park.
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