Millionaire property developer who lives in a castle told to pull down 12ft pillars topped with tacky lions after he built them without permission 'An Englishman's home is supposed to be his castle. I live in a castle but it doesn't feel that way,' said the developer Edward Packer, 73, is fighting the order to remove the posts His listed seven-bedroom 1840s castle in Bristol has ten acres of land A millionaire property developer is embroiled in a planning row with his council after he was ordered to remove two £15,000 lion-topped gate posts from his castle. Edward Packer, 73, is furious after officials ruled that the 12ft high Bath stone pillars outside his seven-bedroom £1.7million property are 'out of keeping' with the local area. The gateposts, which were modelled on the entrance to Chepstow Racecourse, were built without planning permission just before Christmas. Country pile: Edward Packer has been ordered to pull down these £15,000 lion-topped pillars outside his castle because he doesn't have planning permission Order: Mr Packer, 73, received a council enforcement notice over the 12ft Bath stone pillars he had built just before Christmas The builder, who moved into his 1840s property around 15 years ago, has been handed an enforcement notice and told to remove them. But Mr Packer says the posts have been well-received by local residents and has vowed to fight the 'unelected officials' who are demanding their removal. The property magnate, who lives in the exclusive Sneyd Park area of Bristol, said: 'An Englishman's home is supposed to be his castle. 'Well, I live in a castle but it doesn't feel that way after seeing these officials come up here and tell me to take my pillars down.' His property is one of the most exclusive addresses in Bristol and has around ten acres of land backing onto the stunning Avon Gorge. Exclusive home: Mr Packer's seven-bedroom house built in the style of a castle. He modelled the pillars topped with lions on the entrance to Chepstow Racecourse Ornate: The stone lion which builder Edward Packer put up on top of his gate posts Replacement: A far smaller set of gates with a tiny pair of lions on top of the gateposts before the renovation work A letter from the council states the new pillars are 'out of keeping' with the listed house and have 'no substantial public benefit'. But Mr Packer disputes the council's claim and says the posts are an asset, which enhance the road. He said: 'They say it is out of context with the area, but it's the area which is out of context with our house, with all the modern developments which were allowed to be built around here. I see the posts as an asset, which enhances the folly. I haven't met one person who doesn't like them. It seems that in the hands of these unelected officials who come up here it must be pulled down. Castle: The seven-bedroom home of builder Edward Packer, 73, which has been designed to look like a castle Model: The South Gate to Chepstow racecourse, featuring a pair of stone lions, which Mr Packer built the gates outside his home to look like Mr Packer has instructed his lawyers to challenge the enforcement notice, a process he expects to cost him £3,000. He criticised Bristol's general attitude towards planning policy, adding: 'You can't get anything done in this city. We haven't got a decent football stadium and no concert venue either.' The council has defended the decision, claiming the authority's planning department had received five complaints about the pillars. Spokesman Peter Wood said: 'Enforcement officers met with colleagues in the Heritage and Conservation Team and assessed the pillars to be harmful to the setting of the listed building and this part of the Sneyd Park Conservation Area. Mr Packer's appeal is being dealt with by the independent Planning Inspectorate. Anger: Mr Packer has been told he must pull down this stone construction as he did not have planning permission