Push to reveal details of 'mancave' removal rejected

The council secured the site in May and has began demolishing it, with the roof being removed last month

A push to reveal more details of a move to demolish “Britain’s biggest man cave” has been rejected.

Forest of Dean District Council is in the process of removing the 10,000 sq ft leisure complex in Cinderford, Gloucestershire.

The building, which has a bowling alley, casino and a cinema, was built by millionaire Graham Wildin at the back of his home without planning permission in 2014.

At a meeting last week, Green Party councillors argued the minutes of a meeting, which are understood to relate to the decision to go ahead with the enforcement action, should be made public.

'Commercially sensitive'

Councillor Mark Topping called for more openness and transparency, saying it would be helpful if at future meetings the council could explain why the public and press are being excluded.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands the set of exempt minutes also include a debate over plans by the authority to sell an investment property.

Council chief executive Nigel Brinn explained they include a "commercially sensitive figure", which the council did not wish to make public, and that the minutes could not be separated to release only the discussion around the leisure complex.

He added: “The point Councillor Topping has made in terms of providing additional information, I’m more than happy to do that going forward.”

The building was behind Graham Wildin's home in the Forest of Dean

Councillor Andy Moore said he too could not see anything which needed to remain unpublished.

“There is much good democracy done in these pages which should be seen to be done,” he said.

The monitoring officer explained the advice they were giving was to exclude the press and public.

The council voted against releasing the minutes by 17 votes to three with five abstentions.

A spokesperson for Mr Wildin has previously said he was “not interested in commenting” on the matter.