A contentious residence featuring a gigantic shark breaking through its roof is encountering a new conflict with the local authorities.
The Shark House has been a focal point of interest since 1986 when Bill Heine erected the enormous sculpture without obtaining planning permission.
Bill passed away in 2019, and his son Magnus Hanson-Heine has since taken charge of the property, having utilized Airbnb to offer the residence as short-term vacation accommodation for the past five years.
However, the council has recently declared that the Shark House can no longer function as a short-term rental – and Magnus asserts that they are utilizing the property as a ‘test case’ to attempt to eliminate Airbnbs in Oxford.
Magnus has vowed to contest the decision and encourages potential guests to ‘come while you can’ to experience the one-of-a-kind property.
He has been instructed to discontinue using the home as a short-term rental by March 11 of the coming year – which he fears will adversely affect Oxford’s tourism sector.
Magnus elaborated: ‘The Shark House is a significant attraction for tourists, not merely an ordinary family residence.
‘It has been a joy to share it with the public and celebrate its existence, and I will persist in doing so for as long as possible.
‘I have yet to receive any grievances from our neighbors, even throughout the planning appeal, and the inspector found no detrimental impact in his ruling.
‘Our guests have predominantly given us five-star ratings.
‘Certain factions within the council have merely utilized this situation to score inexpensive political points by targeting a local landmark, at the expense of the community.
‘This action does not address the genuine housing issues, and after March, they will have simply deprived individuals from experiencing this piece of Oxford’s heritage firsthand.
‘Oxford’s tourism and lodging industry will suffer considerably because of it.
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‘People shouldn’t just submit to bureaucrats who seek to fabricate and enforce their interpretations of the law by intimidating individuals.
‘These residences are people’s homes and sources of income, and if the council aims to dictate who can stay in them, they might as well purchase their own.
‘Short-term rentals aren’t the root cause of the housing crisis, and it is disgraceful for politicians to exploit their existing shortcomings as a pretext for seizing more personal power.’
Two years following its initial construction, Oxford City Council rejected retrospective planning permission for the 25-foot-long steel and fiberglass sculpture.
Yet the family challenged the decision, and ultimately, then-Secretary of State Michael Heseltine intervened, permitting it to remain.
Magnus has appealed the ‘change of use’ ruling with the National Planning Inspectorate and stated that the property will stay open to visitors until he is compelled to shut it down.
The Airbnb listing has garnered stellar reviews from guests, scoring 4.86 out of five stars.
The listing mentions that the house accommodates up to 10 guests, with prices for a two-night stay reaching as high as £2,000.
Magnus also expresses concern that having the property included in a Heritage Asset Register could serve as ‘a stepping stone’ towards it being designated as a listed building – leading to increased planning restrictions.
Being added to the registry does not impose any new legal requirements on the owners.
However, Magnus insists he categorically does not wish for it to be included in Oxford City Council’s inventory of significant heritage sites.
He conveyed: ‘My father consistently avoided providing definitive answers regarding its intended meaning.
‘It was created to encourage personal reflection and allow individuals to determine for themselves what constitutes art.
‘However, it stood as a protest against censorship specifically regarding planning laws.’
Councillor Linda Smith, Oxford City Council’s cabinet member for housing remarked: ‘In cases where properties have transitioned from residential spaces to short let businesses without planning approval, we do take enforcement action.
‘We reside in one of the least affordable areas for housing in the UK. There are nearly 800 properties solely available as short lets in Oxford, and we require those for resident occupancy rather than holiday rentals.’
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