One of the world’s richest men upset neighbours after building 6ft ‘prison-like’ fence around £75m Surrey estate
ONE of the world’s richest men has upset neighbours by building a 6ft security fence around his £75million estate.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum had it put up without planning permission in Longcross, Surrey, residents say.
The billionaire racehorse owner was accused of damaging the environment, while treating neighbours with contempt.
One resident said the fence looked “prison-like” and it was “totally inappropriate” for the area.
It blocks vital 'corridors' of hedges and tree lines which endangered Dartford Warblers and other birds use.
Rare creatures like dormice also use these 'corridors' to travel across the countryside between Chobham Common and the previously-open estate, added the neighbour.
"It is highly puzzling that he did not apply for permission before all this came to light", the neighbour went on.
"The fences should be removed immediately to mitigate the damage to wildlife."
Prior to the construction of the fence, the estate's boundary was marked by lower, wooden fence posts or, in some places, no fence at all.
The ruler of Dubai's land is covered by an Article 4 Declaration, meaning even minor changes must receive permission from the council.
Security at the estate was already tight, with perimeter guards, CCTV and an inner security fence.
But in 2000 one of the Sheikh's daughters, Shiekha Shamsa al-Maktoum, then 19, escaped the estate on to Chobham Common.
One of her younger sisters, Sheikha Latifa, claimed in March 2018 that Sheikha Shamsa was being kept in a drugged state in the Zabeel Palace in Dubai and was 'like a zombie'.
Sheikha Latifa, 33, made the claim in a video that she sent to human rights organisation Detained in Dubai before saying she had attempted to 'escape' her father herself.
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The bid, the subject of a BBC2 documentary aired on December 6th, was thwarted when the boat on which she was travelling was intercepted in the Indian Ocean by UAE and Indian naval vessels.
She has not been seen since, but her family claim she is 'safe' in Dubai.
The Longcross estate is just part of , who is believed to have a personal fortune in excess of £9 billion.
It is thought the 69- year-old, who is both vice-president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, will seek retrospective planning permission.
Runnymede council and Dubai’s government failed to provide a comment.
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