Mentmore Towers owner hits out at claims Batman building could be purchased defending its maintenance

A council notice, seen by the BBC’s Local Democracy Reporting Service, claimed that Mentmore Towers gave the Grade I listed property a month to prove the stately manor was being maintained.

Mentmore Towers, which is located near to Leighton Buzzard, was previously a go to location for Hollywood producers and directors, and was perhaps most famously chosen as Wayne Manor in Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed feature, Batman Begins.

However, according to the notice the building is considered at immediate risk of further rapid deterioration or loss of historic fabric. Its deteriorating roofs, chimneys, rooflights, roof lanterns and leadwork are among the features covered by an extensive schedule of required repairs, LDRS analysis of the notice found.

Yet this morning, the owner of the property, Simon Halabi of the Halabi Family Trust, has disputed the evidence supplied by the council.

A spokesperson for Mentmore Towers said on his behalf: "The Halabi Family Trust remain absolutely committed to the long-term preservation and restoration of Mentmore Towers. The suggestion that nothing is being done at the property is false.

In fact, those responsible for the management of Mentmore Towers are happy to confirm that professional surveys, ecological investigations and preparatory work towards a programme of repairs and restoration are already actively progressing at the Grade I listed property.

Since the Council’s correspondence earlier this year, professional consultants and contractors have been engaged, specialist surveys have been undertaken, asbestos and other investigations have progressed, and a formal ecological and bat-survey programme has been commissioned and commenced. A schedule of works is being prepared and quotations are being obtained.”

Mr Halabi, a Syrian-born property tycoon purchased the property in 1997 and planned to transform the stately 19th century building into a luxury hotel. Those plans were shelved in 2008, according to industry reports, after Mr Halabi’s bid was subject to planning delays.

"There is an irony in the suggestion that nobody is dealing with the bats when a team of professional ecologists, effectively Mentmore’s own “Batman” team, has already been on the case,” the statement released on behalf of the wealthy businessman continued.

"These are not cosmetic exercises. They are necessary professional and statutory steps before responsible works can be undertaken on a Grade I listed building of the age, scale and importance of Mentmore Towers.”

As well as Batman Begins, the property was famously used as the party destination of the mysterious cohort in Eyes Wide Shut. The Mummy Returns and Johnny English are among the other feature films that used Mentmore Towers as a location.

The trust has also called on the media to further scrutinise criminal activity at the property grounds. In 2024, Thames Valley Police confirmed individuals attempted to break into the building.

Two years earlier, photos that were obtained without the estate’s permission were widely-shared across the internet. They appeared to show the property in decay with some ceilings suffering from water damage and the walls appearing to be mouldy and unkept.

The spokesperson said: “Mentmore has suffered repeated unauthorised entry and trespass in recent years. Security personnel have had to deal with intrusions and the police have been contacted on numerous occasions. Temporary security fencing was put in place precisely to restrict unauthorised access and protect the building, its historic fabric and those who might otherwise enter a potentially dangerous structure. These steps are also aimed to reducing incidents which have taken up police time and therefore taxpayers money to deal with.

“Yet Buckinghamshire Council has taken legal action which has resulted in that security fencing having to be removed.

“The second issue is a temporary storage shed. This structure was put there for a very straightforward reason: to protect and securely store important architectural features, doors, building components, equipment and materials required for the repair and eventual restoration of Mentmore Towers.

“It was erected following professional planning advice concerning the applicable temporary permitted-development provisions. It is therefore difficult to understand why a structure whose purpose is directly connected with protecting the fabric and materials needed to restore Mentmore should itself be the subject of action seeking its removal or demolition

“The public is entitled to ask, if the objective is to secure, preserve and restore Mentmore Towers, how does removing its security fencing and seeking demolition of the structure protecting its features and materials assist in that objective?”

Bucks Council declined to directly address the concerns raised on behalf of the trust. Councillor Peter Strachan said: “Our focus and priority is making sure this Grade I listed building – well known and well-loved in Buckinghamshire – is protected and preserved. This is why we’ve already issued a Repairs Notice to the site owners.

“We are also aware of works on site that have been carried out without planning permission which we’ve looked into and are taking appropriate enforcement action on.”

Editor’s note: This article was updated to include a response from the local authority.