A 65-year-old former tip worker who has lived in a luxury pad inside a shipping container in Newport for 30 years has been told he must leave within six months by the city council. Stephen Gibbons, a popular man among neighbours in St Brides, was found by the council to have been living on his three acres at Lighthouse Farm.
Newport council’s planning committee contended that Stephen had essentially changed the use of his agricultural buildings and yard with 14 sheep and a handful of horses and goats to a mixed-use facility, including for vehicle repairs and a dwelling. Stephen says he hasn’t repaired vehicles at the farm other than one tractor, but he accepts he has lived there since 1992 and has never notified the authorities or applied for a change of use.
The property, jam-packed with stunning ornaments and décor, includes three swanky living areas, one bedroom, and a bathroom. Stephen, who says he has “lost everything” as a result of the council’s decision, appealed the enforcement notice in 2021.
He told the council and Planning and Environment Decisions Wales that the dwelling should be immune from any enforcement action due to the length of time it has existed. But this week the planning inspector told Newport council it has found in the council’s favour, saying: “Those positive acts of deception and deliberate concealment should deprive the appellant from gaining immunity.”
“It has taken me a long time to get it like this,” Stephen said, taking us through his impressive home on Tuesday, August 30, which is behind gates halfway down a country lane a stone’s throw from West Usk Lighthouse. “It’s all shipping containers, look. It’s cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It's nice.
“People are doing it now a lot, I was doing it 30 years ago. I live here on my own now, but I had the kids in here with me.
“It’s taken a lot of time and work to make it better and better. You can see I’m a bit of a hoarder. But I am one to maintain things.
“It was bought in 1990 by my father off the neighbour. We bought the land for cattle and horses and such like, with no intention to live here.
“Then I got divorced and I had to live here. It isn’t a secret and it never has been. It’s not like I’ve just done this, I’ve lived here for 30 years. All the neighbours and everyone knows I’m here. It’s even on Google Earth. You can see it.
“I’ve had a great time here, I’ve brought four of my kids up here. It’s the best place, and all the people love me. All the people vouch for me around here.”
Stephen’s neighbours talked about their appreciation for him. They explained how he has done a significant amount for the area, especially through Covid when he organised a local relief group to help vulnerable people.
“It’s so frustrating when you can get a caravan club come and park five caravans up here and nothing can be done if they keep moving,” Stephen said. “It doesn’t seem fair.”
He isn’t sure how the council found out about his living quarters but believes someone who he’d fallen out with may have reported it to them. On the site are numerous shipping containers - most of them full of hay bales and tools which Stephen says are purely for his land.
“When I first received the letter from the council I thought I was home and dry because I’d lived here so long,” he continued. “I thought due to the time issue of it it was finished. It shouldn’t have gone past 1996.
“When they say I’m using it for other uses, what do they mean? Every tool I’ve got is for the farm. I’ve fixed one tractor. I don’t mend vehicles. What do they want me to do, use a broken tractor?”
He’s been told he must now cease living at Lighthouse Farm and return it to its previous state within six months. He also must pay administration costs, which he says is £8,000.
Asked how he feels as a result of the decision, he said: “Well at least I’ve not got cancer. I don’t know what I’ll do. I’ve got a house with my ex but I can’t live with her can I?”
“It is upsetting, of course it is. I’ve got pictures of my kids living here when they were that high,” he adds - pointing to his knee.
Councillor James Clarke, cabinet member for strategic planning, housing and regulation, said: “I’m pleased that Planning and Environmental Wales agreed with the council’s assessment that this structure was erected without permission and deliberately concealed in order to bypass planning regulations.
"Planning regulations are in place for good reasons. They seek to protect all of us against inappropriate development and this decision demonstrates that deliberate acts to deceive and mislead will be found out. The council will take enforcement action against anyone who deliberately breaches the rules in this manner.”
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