British couple wins fight to demolish £49m chateau

A COURT in southern France has backed a British couple’s 14-year legal battle to have a €57million (£49million) chateau demolished after it was ruled illegal.

Nestling in green hills, olive groves and vineyards behind Grasse, France’s perfume capital, Chateau Diter has provided the backdrop for society weddings and Sky television drama Riviera.

This week, however, Patrick Diter, its businessman owner, was told he had just 18 months to tear down the Renaissance-style palazzo, after judges upheld an earlier ruling that the initial building permit had been obtained fraudulently in 2006.

All structures built since 2005 – including 3,000 sq m of accommodation, a heliport, a swimming pool and an approach road through a protected wood – must be removed, the court ruled. Only the 200 sq m original building can remain standing.

Failure to do so will see Mr Diter face a €450,000 fine to be increased by €500 for every day he does not comply after the 18-month deadline.

Mr Diter agreed to demolish any building constructed without permission and admitted he made some mistakes. The protracted legal action had been initiated by British couple Stephen and Caroline Butt who, along with other neighbours, were appalled at the large parties at very high decibel levels held at the faux chateau.

Diter had turned it into an event centre with 130 speakers in the grounds and room for 2,000 guests.

Mrs Butt said she was “delighted” with the ruling and hoped it would end Mr Diter’s “construction frenzy”.

She and her husband were each awarded £15,000 in damages.