Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has once again found himself in the public spotlight—not because of his complicated family affairs this time, but due to an ambitious construction project in the heart of England. The billionaire has been granted permission to demolish his luxurious estate in Surrey and build a new residence, three times the size of the original. This decision has sparked outrage among local residents and environmental activists.
The property in question is Longcross Estate, valued at approximately 80 million euros. The sheikh acquired it back in the 1990s as a refuge from the scorching climate of the Persian Gulf. The area holds significant ecological value, as it is home to one of the oldest heather moorlands in Europe. Now, plans are in place to build a colossal three-story mansion with a vast basement level. Each above-ground floor will cover more than a thousand square meters, while the underground section will span nearly one and a half thousand.
The new house will feature eight bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, as well as a master suite with a private lounge and dressing room. The basement will include two additional bedrooms, a gym, an indoor pool, a cinema, a sauna, and a spacious underground garage. The grounds will also accommodate separate buildings for recreation, parties, and office work. The scale of the project is striking, but it has also become a major point of contention.
This is far from the emir’s first conflict with the British public. In 2018, he had already angered neighbors when he fenced off his estate with barbed wire without proper authorization, turning what one witness called a picturesque corner into something resembling a concentration camp. It also emerged at that time that dozens of centuries-old protected trees had been cut down. Despite these clear violations of the law, the Runnymede Borough Council retroactively granted him permission. This precedent has caused many to doubt the objectivity of the authorities even now.
The conservation group Surrey Wildlife Trust has expressed serious concern for the fate of local wildlife. Bats nest in the poolside building set for demolition. Additionally, the future of rare amphibian species is under threat, particularly the great crested newt. Authorities claim that a plan for relocating the animals has been developed, but activists remain skeptical. It seems that for the 76-year-old ruler of Dubai—whose name has already been linked to a series of scandals, including the escape of his former wife Princess Haya and his daughter Latifa—reputational risks matter little when personal comfort is at stake.
