A family in Oxfordshire has been left homeless after being ordered to leave their illegally built log cabin home where they lived for 11 years without planning permission or paying council tax.
Emma Branch, 49, her partner Anthony Batey, 50, and their eight-year-old daughter Georgia must vacate the property they built for £36,000 in Horspath, near Oxford, following a ruling upheld on New Year's Eve 2024.
The family claims they were forced to leave after a disgruntled friend reported their secret dwelling to South Oxford Council following an argument.
The two-bedroom cabin, built on land owned by Emma's mother Vivienne, had remained undetected by authorities since 2013 until the recent complaint.
The secluded cabin, tucked away on a private road behind locked gates, was built for £36,000 in 2013 to allow Emma to be near the family's horse stables.
"It is very sad, this has been our life for eleven years," Emma said.
The hidden location meant the family had no official address, postal delivery or bin collection service.
Vivienne, 80, had the cabin constructed for her daughter on her land, with neighbours reportedly supportive of the arrangement.
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"All my neighbours knew about it and they thought it was a good idea," Vivienne said.
According to Vivienne Branch, the family's secret dwelling came to light after a falling out with a male friend who used to visit them.
"There was one bloke who used to have cups of tea with us and then we fell out. I have no proof it was him but he would have known," she said.
Before this incident, the family had never received any correspondence from the council about their property.
The Planning Inspector's report noted that the family had not actively tried to conceal their residence, with satellite TV installed and even midwives visiting the property.
The family initially received an eviction notice in 2023, prompting Vivienne to pay £5,000 for an appeal.
"It was the right thing to do because the process has taken three years and they have been able to keep living here," Vivienne explained.
Emma described their initial reaction as "complete despair" when they first received the notice.
"At the time it was complete despair, we felt like we were being kicked out the very next day," she said.
The appeal was ultimately rejected on New Year's Eve 2024.
"It was a huge shock, you don't quite know how to cope with it," Vivienne added.
In their eleven years of residence, the family never paid council tax, though they claim they were prepared to pay backdated bills if discovered.
The Planning Inspector's ruling allows the cabin structure to remain but requires removal of all fixtures and fittings including kitchen cupboards, sink, cooker, bedroom and living room furniture, toilet, shower, and television equipment.
The inspector has also ordered the removal of timber fencing and stone paths outside the property.
"They understood that if they were to continue living in the home they would have to repay that time in council tax. They were prepared for that," Vivienne said.
The family is now planning to convert a barn on their land, which currently houses six horses, into their new home.
However, the conversion process could take over a year, potentially leaving them homeless next Christmas.
Anne-Marie Simpson, South Oxfordshire District Council's Cabinet Member for Planning, said: "Not only was this development built without planning permission or Building Regulations approval – representing a significant breach – it was never registered to pay council tax."
"The Planning Inspectorate upheld the enforcement decision and dismissed the appeal in December last year. The inspector ruled the residential element of the building should now be removed and the owner has 12 months to comply with this."
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Emma Branch, 49, her partner Anthony Batey, 50, and their eight-year-old daughter Georgia must vacate the property they built for £36,000 in Horspath, near Oxford, following a ruling upheld on New Year's Eve 2024.
The family claims they were forced to leave after a disgruntled friend reported their secret dwelling to South Oxford Council following an argument.
The two-bedroom cabin, built on land owned by Emma's mother Vivienne, had remained undetected by authorities since 2013 until the recent complaint.
The secluded cabin, tucked away on a private road behind locked gates, was built for £36,000 in 2013 to allow Emma to be near the family's horse stables.
"It is very sad, this has been our life for eleven years," Emma said.
The hidden location meant the family had no official address, postal delivery or bin collection service.
Vivienne, 80, had the cabin constructed for her daughter on her land, with neighbours reportedly supportive of the arrangement.
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"All my neighbours knew about it and they thought it was a good idea," Vivienne said.
According to Vivienne Branch, the family's secret dwelling came to light after a falling out with a male friend who used to visit them.
"There was one bloke who used to have cups of tea with us and then we fell out. I have no proof it was him but he would have known," she said.
Before this incident, the family had never received any correspondence from the council about their property.
The Planning Inspector's report noted that the family had not actively tried to conceal their residence, with satellite TV installed and even midwives visiting the property.
The family initially received an eviction notice in 2023, prompting Vivienne to pay £5,000 for an appeal.
"It was the right thing to do because the process has taken three years and they have been able to keep living here," Vivienne explained.
Emma described their initial reaction as "complete despair" when they first received the notice.
"At the time it was complete despair, we felt like we were being kicked out the very next day," she said.
The appeal was ultimately rejected on New Year's Eve 2024.
"It was a huge shock, you don't quite know how to cope with it," Vivienne added.
In their eleven years of residence, the family never paid council tax, though they claim they were prepared to pay backdated bills if discovered.
The Planning Inspector's ruling allows the cabin structure to remain but requires removal of all fixtures and fittings including kitchen cupboards, sink, cooker, bedroom and living room furniture, toilet, shower, and television equipment.
The inspector has also ordered the removal of timber fencing and stone paths outside the property.
"They understood that if they were to continue living in the home they would have to repay that time in council tax. They were prepared for that," Vivienne said.
The family is now planning to convert a barn on their land, which currently houses six horses, into their new home.
However, the conversion process could take over a year, potentially leaving them homeless next Christmas.
Anne-Marie Simpson, South Oxfordshire District Council's Cabinet Member for Planning, said: "Not only was this development built without planning permission or Building Regulations approval – representing a significant breach – it was never registered to pay council tax."
"The Planning Inspectorate upheld the enforcement decision and dismissed the appeal in December last year. The inspector ruled the residential element of the building should now be removed and the owner has 12 months to comply with this."
Find Out More...