EuroMillions winner Adrian Bayford has scrapped plans to build a children’s theme park on his country estate.
The 54-year-old former postman won a £148 million jackpot with his then-wife Gillian in 2012, before their relationship fell apart.
After building a vineyard the size of six football pitched, Bayford wanted to go even bigger with his Horseheath Lodge estate in Cambridgeshire.
Plans included the demolition of six farm buildings so a train ride, renewable energy-themed play barn, maze and car park could be built.
But the latest plans appeared too ambitious, even for an estate that once hosted Elizabeth I and her entourage.
It would just be far too ‘urban’ for a country house 19km southeast of Cambridge, according to responses to a public consultation.
‘The proposal lacks integration into what remains a site of rural character’, said a submission from BNE Urban Design.
‘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.
‘Through car dependency and increased footfall associated with new retail uses the character shifts substantially away from a rural character.’
A 90-vehicle carpark on the site would drive ‘excess traffic’ that ‘would increase the risk to safety’, the parish council said.
Its location on a floodplain would also bring ‘a risk of surface water flooding’ due to no apparent connection for ‘foul water or surface water drainage’.
Development of the site could also potentially have harmed historic artefacts buried underground.
Cambridgeshire Council’s archaeological officer said: ‘The development
area has potential to contain prehistoric remains with a cropmarks indicating the presence of ring ditch to the adjacent north.’
Just two weeks after these responses were submitted, Bayford withdrew his application.
He hasn’t refiled since, suggesting an end to his dreams of having his very own themepark.
Bayford moved into the the £6.5million Grade II listed Georgian house, with 189 acres of land, 13 years ago.
At one point, he was so lonely, he would spend his days locked up inside, eating 50 Cornish pasties a week.
He reportedly moved out in 2019 to be closer to his kids and ex-wife Gillian.
The couple had been full of smiles when spraying champagne to celebrate their EuroMillions win in 2012. Their jackpot is the sixth largest lottery prize in UK history.
After splitting up, Adrian launched a relationship with ex-horse groom Samantha Burbidge, who is 16 years younger than him.
He also dated waitress Lisa Kemp, but she dumped him after discovering saucy messages sent to his ex Marta Jarosz.
Now he is with Tracey Biles, a 46-year-old said to be the mastermind behind the vineyard and theme park plans.
Gillian herself has been rather unlucky with love.
Convicted of threatening her ex-boyfriend Gavin Innes during a trial in 2020, she pushed, shouted at and struggled with the domestic abuse charity worker on two separate occasions in October 2017.
Last year she ditched her new husband Brian Deans after the convicted fraudster ‘threw money left, right and centre’ on expensive cars, watches, and trips with friends.
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