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Landowner's fantasy pirate island complete with pub and waterfall could be torn down - because it 'doesn't have planning permission'

Haulage fortune heir James Challis spent millions creating the fantasy island, which has its own guest house, waterfall, and working pub

Fantasy land: 'Challis Island', which has its own waterfall, guest house, and pub.(Rex)


A millionaire landowner who built his own pirate island could be forced to bulldoze the entire fantasy project - after failing to get planning permission.

Haulage fortune heir James Challis spent millions creating 60-acre 'Challis Island' - a pirate-style fantasy village, on his family's private Cambridgeshire estate.

The village, which looks like a set from Pirates of the Caribbean, has a working pub, guest house, boat dock and waterfall.

Family sources said Mr Challis built the island in tribute to his late grandfather and family business founder John Dickerson, who bought the site in the 1970s.


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Mr Dickerson founded a haulage firm which recently sold for several million pounds.

But the future of the island could be in jeopardy because the South Cambridgeshire District Council says it has no planning permission.

The family have now launched a retrospective planning application with the authority in a bid to preserve the pirate island at Landbeach.

A 21-day consultation period started today, where local residents can object or make comments.

A family source who asked not to be named said: 'The island is in memory of the grandfather of the family - John - who was really attached to the land and the area.

'He wanted something special to be done with the area and the family have certainly created that.'

Mr. Dickerson originally bought the site thirty years ago for the extraction of sand and gravel.

He was also commodore at a nearby boat club and he later lived on a boathouse on the lake and added an office and stables before suddenly dying in 1999.

Master Wish Makers, who specialise in making the eccentric dreams of the rich come true, were employed to transform the site.


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They created a fantastical pirate island complete with five Georgian-style, 18th century buildings set among cascading waterfalls and ornamental shrubbery.

All of the island's buildings were made from wooden oak and Douglas fir frames, with roofs made from cedar tiles or thatch for authenticity

The buildings - all for private use - include a fully-working one-and-a-half-a-storey pub called The Black Dubloon.


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There is also a guest house called Coffer's Cabin, in the style of a military commander's office, a beach hut named Lubber's Locker and a sun deck.

The site is surrounded by commercial units and council buildings and shielded from view by rows of trees.

Mr Challis is thought to drive from his home in Ely, Cambs., every day to tend to the island.

The family are expected to hear the fate of the island within weeks.

A South Cambridgeshire District Council spokesman said: 'We always encourage residents and businesses to contact us before carrying out any development so we can give them advice and help them consider what planning permissions will be needed.

'Avoiding retrospective planning applications often means the whole process is quicker and cheaper for the applicant.'