A JURY is hearing a long running planning dispute between Powys council and a man who lived in a tree-house he built in a Radnorshire woodland.

Eddie McIntosh faces 18 charges in the trial before judge His Honour Christopher Vosper QC at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court that could last for up to five days.

The 52-year-old, who lives at Mellowcroft, in Llandegley, near Llandrindod Wells, is accused of having failed to comply with enforcement notices, issued by Powys council which said the development, that had been used as a rural retreat offering alternative therapies, didn’t have planning permission.

The notices he is accused of failing to follow required him to stop using the site for residential use and to remove and demolish various structures he’d built.

The court was told the defendant had continued living in a motor home, and then a cabin, on the site and had paid council tax to the authority.

Some 20 supporters packed the public gallery at the court for the start of the trial on Monday morning at which the defendant, whose woodland home featured in a Channel 4 series Kevin McCloud’s Man Made Home, denies the charges.

The court clerk took around 10 minutes to read out the lengthy charge sheet to the five men and seven women jurors.

The charges relate to alleged failures to comply with notices, issued in 2015, regarding the use of the land and that he demolish and remove buildings from the land by January of 2018.

As well as the tree house they include a compost toilet, a motor home, a drover’s cabin, a shepherd’s hut, a wood fired bath, a footbridge and a wind turbine. The council said the site was developed without planning permission.

Prosecutor Christian Jowett ,opening the case, told the jury: "This case is about an area of land just outside Llandrindod Wells known as Mellowcroft.

"The defendant is and was the owner at the period of time.

"In March 2015 Powys County Council issued Mr McIntosh with two enforcement notices requiring him to take various steps concerning use of the land and structures.

"The prosecution case is very simple Mr McIntosh failed to take those steps according to to the notices."

Mr Jowett outlined the council’s action in bringing the enforcement action and an appeal to the planning inspector by the defendant which did allow permission for a small number of structures to remain.

He told the jurors: "What does Mr McIntosh say? Officers of the council interviewed him under caution in February 2017 he accepted he continued to reside on land and agreed the structures remained and some would be removed. He was adamant the land was now used for agricultural purposes."

The trial continues.