Nicholas van Hoogstraten's unfinished Sussex ghost mansion

[Zardoz Greek]

The 'Ghost House of Sussex' - a mansion still unfinished 31 years after building work started
22:00, 12 MAR 2016 BY ALAN SELBY
The huge £40million country pile is being built by property magnate Nicholas van Hoogstraten but has never been finished
   
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ghost-house-sussex-mansion-still-7545703

The Ghost House of Sussex remains unfinished, despite building work start 31 years ago
Property magnate Nicholas van Hoogstraten’s own country pile looks in need of some TLC as it stands unfinished – 31 years after work began.

The mansion has been branded the Ghost House of Sussex after locals complained construction had long since ground to a halt on the £40million folly.

Since Hamilton Palace, near Uckfield in East Sussex, was started in 1985 the controversial businessman has passed many of his assets into his children’s names.

He has long held ties to Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe, and in 1968 was jailed for four years after paying a gang to hurl a grenade into a business rival’s home.


Neighbour Julian Molten said: “With all the housing problems we have in this country surely the building can be put to good use. It’s a disgrace that it’s just going to ruin.”

Nicholas Van Hoogstraten PA
Nicholas Van Hoogstraten is the property magnate behind the project
One local, Julian Molten, said: "It's a disgrace that after 30 years the building is still empty.

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"With all the housing problems we have in this country surely the building can be put to good use.

Almost 31 years to the day after building started Nicholas Van Hoogstraten's Mansion in East Sussex, England, remains unfinished FameFlynet
The huge, £40million mansion is still a building site
Nicholas van Hoogstraten’s has been in the process of constructing Hamilton Palace, near Uckfield in East Sussex since the 1980s.

Construction of the neoclassical building began in 1985 and had cost around £40 million by 2006.

Almost 31 years to the day after building started Nicholas Van Hoogstraten's Mansion in East Sussex, England, remains unfinished FameFlynet
The country estate includes a mausoleum
The enormous edifice is intended to house his collection of art - currently stored in Switzerland - including a mausoleum.

Under English law, perpetual trusts are only allowed in the upkeep of monuments and graves.

VIEW GALLERY	 Almost 31 years to the day after building started Nicholas Van Hoogstraten's Mansion in East Sussex, England, remains unfinished
By using the palace as a mausoleum, van Hoogstraten’s trust would legally own the buildings and their fittings after his death.

A large portion of his wealth has been transferred into a Bermudian trust for the upkeep of historic monuments.


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