Euromillions lottery winner U-turns on his spending plans for mega £148million jackpot
Euromillions winner Adrian Bayford has withdrawn his plans to build a children’s theme park on his country estate.
The ex-postman, who scooped £148million on the lottery in 2012 with his then-wife Gillian, has formally withdrawn his application less than two months after the first drawings were submitted.
Last year, the 54-year-old set out plans to transform 20 acres of his vast estate into a ‘leisure destination’.
The proposed development included education facilities, a train ride, a renewable energy-themed play barn and a maze.
The plans featured five outdoor play zones in the grounds of his Grade II-listed Horseheath Lodge near the Suffolk-Cambridgeshire border.
The theme park would have included sensory trails, den building, tractor tours, animal encounters and walled garden visits.
A 90-space car park was also planned, with the site intended to operate daily from 9am to 5pm.
The plans were widely criticised by the parish council, who raised concerns about flooding risks, increased traffic and detrimental effects on the nearby walled garden.
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The Urban Design consultation also objected to the proposal, stating it would disrupt the local rural character.
They described the landscaping as ‘excessively urban’ and unsuitable for the countryside setting.
Environmental Health officers further warned about potential nuisance to neighbours living in ‘close proximity’ to the site.
In their consultation, Urban Design officials stated: “The proposal lacks integration into what remains a site of rural character.”
They argued hard surfaces would “distort the pre-existing pattern of softness” and retail spaces would introduce “movement patterns and associated formal geometries that is excessively urban in nature.”
Concerns were also raised about “significant night-time light emission” from windows in the main barn.
Planning officers feared the walled garden would “cease to be” if certain buildings were demolished.
Planning documents revealed Bayford was “seeking to create a highly regarded and well-known leisure destination which provides a fun, exciting and educational day out.”
The father-of-two believed his park would have significant economic benefits, creating 13 full-time jobs and offering commercial units for local entrepreneurs at affordable rates.
The planning statement noted the site would “serve as a vital educational destination” fostering inclusivity for all learners, including those with special educational needs.
Since meeting his new fiancée Tracey Biles, Bayford has been living a more sustainable lifestyle on his estate.
The couple are growing their own food in a new kitchen garden, with raised beds and poly tunnels. They have also created a large carp pond and bought baby goats and pigs.
Bayford has had plans approved to add solar panels to one of his barns to power his estate.
He has also planted a 40,000 square-metre vineyard on the property.