Magnus Hanson-Heine, who inherited the famous 'Shark House' with a 25ft shark protruding from its roof, has been ordered to cease using it as an Airbnb. Oxford City Council received complaints and issued a planning enforcement notice banning short-term rentals, a ruling upheld by the planning inspectorate. Hanson-Heine must stop accepting bookings by March 11, 2025.
The owner of one of Britain's most striking and unique homes which has a shark sticking out the roof has been told he must stop using it as a £159-a-night Airbnb . Magnus Hanson-Heine, a University of Nottingham chemistry researcher, inherited the quirky property which has a 25ft shark jutting headfirst from its roof from his father five years ago and has rented it out for short lets .
“It’s almost impossible to say how many much-needed homes Oxford has lost to short lets because the sector is still virtually unregulated. What we do know is there are nearly 3,500 households on our waiting list and that short lets can cause misery in our communities. Bill Heine was an American-born journalist and broadcaster, who came to Oxford in the 1960s to study at Oxford University, later working at BBC Oxford. The installation of the shark in 1986 started a six-year planning row with Oxford City Council, which refused retrospective planning permission before the then Secretary of State for the environment Michael Heseltine intervened, allowing the structure to remain.
He previously said: "My father always resisted giving any conclusive answer to the question what was the meaning of it. It was designed to make people think for themselves, and decide for themselves what is art. In the worst cases, short lets have been used for illegal or antisocial purposes. Short lets are often in quiet residential neighbourhoods, and the council says the strain this causes can be "immense".
Airbnb Short Lets Planning Enforcement Oxford Property
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Controversial 'Shark House' faces latest snag after council bans it from AirbnbThe Shark House has been attracting attention since 1986 when Bill Heine constructed the massive sculpture without planning permission.
Read more »
Oxford's 'Headington Shark' House Banned From AirbnbThe iconic 'Headington Shark' house in Oxford, a 25ft sculpture of a shark embedded into the building, has been ordered to stop operating as an Airbnb. Oxford City Council cited a 'change of use to short let accommodation' as the reason for the ban, despite owner Dr Magnus Hanson-Heine claiming no neighbour complaints. He believes the move is a 'test case' to shut down Airbnbs in the city and will harm tourism.
Read more »
Owner of striking 'shark house' says 'come while you can' after losing appealThe owner has issued a last chance plea to the public
Read more »
Crystal Palace house in London named RIBA House of the Year 2024The four-bedroom property is named House of the Year by the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Read more »
– I got a huge house on the cheap & nabbed a mini house, barns, garage & l...I was sick of paying rent so moved into a shed at the bottom of my garden
Read more »
Reality Star Megan Barton-Hanson Reveals Domestic Abuse OrdealMegan Barton-Hanson shares her harrowing experience of domestic abuse at the hands of an ex-partner, detailing physical and emotional abuse, threats to her life, and the legal consequences faced by her abuser.
Read more »