Hollywood filmmaker Hopwood DePree has appeared in a UK court to seek the return of ownership of his family’s 600-year-old ancestral home, Hopwood Hall, located in Middleton, Greater Manchester. The property, which has fallen into significant disrepair and earned the nickname “Downton Shabby,” is currently owned by Rochdale Borough Council.

DePree, 56, has devoted several years to efforts aimed at restoring the historic mansion. However, he claims that after obtaining planning permission for renovation in 2022, the council effectively blocked his access by changing its position and locking him out of the property. His legal representatives argue that the council “simply changed its mind” despite the progress he had made toward reviving the site.

The dispute reached the Business and Property Courts, where a two-day hearing was conducted to determine whether the planning permission granted to DePree was sufficient to compel Rochdale Borough Council to transfer ownership of the hall to him. DePree described the council’s actions as “a complete shock” and expressed disbelief that a public authority would behave in such a manner.

Meanwhile, Rochdale Borough Council maintained that it has a duty to consider alternative options regarding the estate’s future. The council emphasized its responsibility to protect public funds invested in the historic property and said it must ensure that any approach to Hopwood Hall’s restoration is in the public interest.

The court’s decision will have significant implications for the management and preservation of Hopwood Hall, a landmark with a history extending back six centuries. The outcome will determine whether DePree can continue his restoration project or if the council will pursue other avenues for the site’s future.