A EUROMILLIONS winner has faced a fresh blow in his bid to build a children’s theme park on his country estate.
Adrian Bayford, who split a £148million EuroMillions jackpot with his now ex-wife in 2012, bought his 17th century farm house in 2014.
In January the lotto scooper, 54, was granted permission to turn the luxury property into a holiday rental.
The ex-postie previously constructed a vineyard around the size of six football pitches.
He then revealed his grand plans to create a theme park on 20 acres of his 198 acre Grade II-listed Georgian estate.
It would see six farm buildings torn down, a 90-space car park, a maze and train ride.
In planning documents, Ade said he was “seeking to create a highly regarded and well-known leisure destination which provides a fun, exciting and educational day out.”
But his ideas have been squashed by the council after it was ruled the attraction would be too “urban” for the countryside location.
Docs from BNE Urban Design, as reported by LBC, read: “The proposal lacks integration into what remains a site of rural character.
“Long views towards the development is of particular importance as well as the total composition needing to retain a high percentage of softness in the landscape between the various built-form elements,” they argued.
“Through car dependency and increased footfall associated with new retail uses the character shifts substantially away from a rural character.”
Fears were also raised concerning “significant night-time light emission” from the main barn.
Officials also highlighted issues including traffic chaos and flooding risks.
An Environmental Health officer warned the proposed park would be a nuisance to those in “close proximity” to the site.
The officer said: “Whilst detailed design information with regards to the layout and composition of the proposed development is not available at this stage, particular consideration needs to be given towards the prevention of nuisance that may be caused by commercial premises/uses affecting residential properties in close proximity.”
[authenticated-scripts src=”%3Cscript%20class%3D%22palin-poll%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesun.co.uk%2Fpollingwidgets%2Fv3%2Fwidget.js%3Fquestion_id%3D110304%26game%3Dpolling%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E” type=”embedded” width=”100″ /]This comes after Ade also suffered a set back earlier last year when his annual rock festival took a hit.
He has hosted the event on his 90-acre Cambridge estate since 2017.
But the festival was been forced to find a new venue for its 20th anniversary – blaming “management changes” at Bayford’s company.
More than 60 bands had been slated to entertain around 2,000 revellers at Bayford’s £6.5million pad, Horseheath Lodge.
Meanwhile, in 2023 the event was axed at the last minute because the council didn’t grant a licence.
There had been reports from disgruntled neighbours about the noise levels.
Adrian and Gillian celebrated their mega win in 2012 by ordering Domino’s.
They broke up the following year, splitting the jackpot win. Adrian was later linked to Marta Jarosz, 30, a Polish sausage factory worker, who he employed as a bodyguard and assistant.
He then met stable girl Sam Burbidge in January 2014 and spent big on her riding hobby, buying up to 30 thoroughbred horses.
They got engaged but she left in 2017. Adrian then wooed Frankie & Benny’s waitress Lisa Kemp, 46, in December 2017.
He is now dating old friend Tracey Biles, and the couple are due to marry.
Despite his set backs, Ade has already managed to host huge events on his estate.
Last year, he erected a giant marquee in his grounds for New York-themed parties for up to 1,500 revellers a night.
It is the latest money-spinner for Ade, who has previously sold Christmas trees from his front lawn and set-up an Airbnb and a vineyard on his Cambridgeshire estate.
The music fan, who has also hosted heavy metal festivals on his grounds, has gone upmarket for the latest adventure with tickets coming in at £110 a head.
It promised to take guests on a “Lost in New York” adventure with a three-course meal, live entertainment and a disco.
The Christmas Parties Unlimited site said guests would be taken “from the beauty of Central Park to the bright lights of New York City, with some well-known Home Alone inspired music throughout the evening”.
It added: “After dinner, we’re off to the most legendary NYC nightclub of the disco-era for a Studio 54 themed after-party!
“With our live DJ playing music from all eras, everyone will be up and dancing before you know it.”
The lotto winner previously made a “genius” move to make even more money – all thanks to his fiancée.
His green-fingered partner Tracey encouraged Ade to plant a Champagne vineyard in the grounds of his £12milion luxury pad.
She has planted what appear to be meunier grapes, one of the three main varieties used in the production of bubbly, on his Haverhill mansion on the Suffolk/Essex border.
One pal said: “It’s fantastic to see Adrian using his fortune to explore new ventures. It shows what a fantastic influence Tracey is on him.
“Hopefully we’ll all be able to buy Chateau Bayford soon.”
Jane Clare, of wine blog One Foot in the Grapes, said: “If Mr Bayford is planting grapes to make fizz, he’ll be adding his own sparkle to our home-grown wines which are taking off.
“As our climate gets warmer, it is easier to ripen these grapes to a quality which in turn can create quality sparkling wines.”
Technically, the former postie’s fizz can’t be called Champagne as it is not from the French region itself.
But, a vineyard is sure to boost the value of the property and help encourage potential buyers should the lotto winner wish to sell.
