Stunning Norfolk Omaze £6m Mansion in Planning Investigation

If you like competitions, you may have heard of Omaze, the 'for profit' company who offer million pound properties as prizes in their monthly draws. Raising money for various charities, Omaze have changed the lives of hundreds of people since 2012, when it was established in Los Angeles. Over the past 12 - 13 years Omaze has raised over £130m for 350+ charities. However, it is currently embroiled in an investigation into a breach of planning rules relating to one of its prize mansions, with the winner due to be announced live on BBC One, on March 21st during Comic Relief. The company has two weeks to sort out a potential breach in planning rules on Larkfields in Blakeney, Norfolk. The stunning freehold property is described as a £6m mansion, with two coast houses, and amazing views. It benefits from over 11 acres of gardens and grounds, swimming pool, summerhouse, tennis court, a meadow, amongst other unique features. The property was completed in 2022 and finished to the highest of standards and exceptional attention to detail.

Council chiefs have reportedly sent Omaze with recommendations as to how to settle the alleged planning contraventions, and have given the company until March 25th to reply to the recommendations, which have not been made public.

The North Norfolk District Council or NNDC, completed an investigation after an anonymous member of the public raised concerns over the build, not being built in accordance to the planning application that had been submitted and approved in 2020.

Original approved plans (Image: North Norfolk District Council)

Property plans from the Omaze competition site - GF shows an extra section on the right side

An NNDC spokesperson stated: 'We have concluded that the development has not been completed in accordance with the approved plans and that additional works have been undertaken where planning permission should first have been obtained. We have made recommendations to the site owners as to the way forward we would suggest they follow from here.'

According to the plans as advertised on the Omaze competition page for the property there are additional outbuildings, a tennis court and a swimming pool, which do not seem to appear to have been subject to any planning application.

The likelihood is that Omaze will have been told to apply for retrospective planning permission for certain elements that have been built, not in accordance to approved plans.

If this happens then the usual process will include a period of consultation, during which the public has the chance to make comments in support or objection to the suggested plans, after which the local planning department will make their decision, in a worst case scenario, it may be presented to councillors at a planning committee for a verdict.

A spokesperson for Omaze said that they are working closely with North Norfolk District Council following the results of the investigation, and said "Omaze reiterates that it guarantees no house winner would ever have to incur any costs whatsoever to remedy any historical planning issue. Omaze further guarantees that all house prizes are transferred to winners with good and marketable title."