OWNER Nick Allen has lost his High Court battle with Wiltshire Council to keep his disabled-friendly music studio open. He has now been ordered to demolish it by September.

The multi-purpose studio on Forewood Common in Holt, on land opposite Mr Allen’s home, has cost the music producer more than £200,000 since beginning the project in April 2011 which includes legal fees.

At the High Court hearing earlier this month, Mr Allen reiterated that the studio was designed so both able and disabled people could use its state-of-the-art music recording facilities.

Wiltshire Council had previously denied planning approval for NAM Recording Studios after Mr Allen failed to apply for permission to change the use of the building from a B8 storage purpose to a B1 business use.

Wheelchair user Mr Allen has been in the music industry for more than 30 years and said: "You can hardly notice the studio and it fits in with the landscape.

“I wasn’t trying to cover up what I was doing because I didn’t realise I was doing anything wrong.”

He added that he was ‘largely unaware’ of the fact that planning permission was required to change the purpose of the building and believes that there are contradictions in the enforcement notice regarding the impact on green belt land.

Mr Allen now believes that the planning application process should be made simpler for people to understand and highlight when approval from Wiltshire Council is required.

He added that the removal of his recording studio is another blow after Wiltshire Council announced it would be withdrawing funding from the Music Service.

Mr Allen said: “It seems to me that they are trying to get rid of music. If it wasn’t for musicians, it would be a very sad world.”

A Wiltshire Council spokesperson said: ““The decision making process has been completely transparent and consistent. It is most regrettable that Mr Allen progressed with erecting a building without the benefit of planning permission in the first place but we have reached a stage whereby Mr Allen is required by an Enforcement Notice to demolish the unauthorised building in full.

“Following the high court ruling, the Council has written to Mr Allen and made it clear that he has until 10 September 2015 to carry out the works in full or the Council will consider a prosecution for failure to comply with the requirements of the enforcement notice.”