Millionaire White Stuff founder WINS four-year battle to keep skate bowl and ... trends now

The millionaire founder of the White Stuff clothing brand has won a long running planning battle to keep a tennis court and skate park he built at his luxury waterside home without permission.

Sean Thomas was ordered by South Hams District Council to tear down the sports facilities alongside a double garage after being refused planning consent.

However, he appealed to the Government planning watchdog who quashed the local council's decision.

The row started in 2019 after the development was built on farmland behind his house at Gerston Point, an affluent area and beauty spot in Devon. 

Neighbours and conservationists complained the plans would impact negatively on the rural coastal location which sits in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

The work was completed in 2016 and Mr Thomas applied for retrospective planning permission in 2019.

The council rejected the first application and said that the land must be restored to its former condition as an agricultural field.

Mr Thomas then lodged a new application which included a 'substantial new planting of over 1,000 native trees' as well as a bat roost, bird boxes and the planting of wildflowers along the estuary. 

But council planners again rejected the application and the issue was handed over to the council's enforcement team to bring the land back to its former use.

He later submitted a

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