June 20, 2022 9.56 am This story is over 36 months old

Lincolnshire inventor’s underground tunnel approved by council

Colin Furze started digging in secret three years ago

An inventor and YouTube star from Stamford now has retrospective planning permission from the council for a tunnel he started building in secret around three years ago.

Colin Furze, who has close to 12 million subscribers to his YouTube channel, completed a big section of his project earlier this year to build a 12 metre tunnel from his Lincolnshire house to his shed. It has now transpired that this was done without permission, although he has now obtained it.

Three years ago he started digging a tunnel in secret to go from his workshop to his house, and eventually onto the bunker in his back garden, so he can move between the two and ‘get away from the rain’. The tunnel comes up in a cupboard in Colin’s kitchen, which has been reinforced with steel and concrete.

Colin inside the tunnel. | Screenshot: Colin Furze YouTube

He uploaded the latest episode of his video series – part 9 of ‘Digging A Secret Tunnel’ – on June 16 and it has already been viewed over 3.4 million times.

Colin tried to answer people’s questions including the one he said he gets asked the most of how he get permission to do this from the council. He said the town council “strongly objected” but that he now has permission from South Kesteven District Council.

He also admitted the council didn’t contact him until around video five before going out to see him.

Colin busy working inside the tunnel. | Photo: Colin Furze YouTube

Planning documents from the district council show the bunker, which he built in 2015, was granted permission eight years ago.

However, tunnels to connect his house, shed and bunker did not have permission until recently.

Inventor Colin Furze has close to 12 million subscribers on YouTube. Stamford inventor Colin Furze recently uploaded a video to explain the latest progress on his ‘secret’ tunnel. | Screenshot: Colin Furze YouTube

Colin said: “The short and simple answer is I didn’t have permission for it…not until a week ago anyway. I didn’t feel like I could make this video which is why it’s so late, until I actually knew the outcome of the planning application.

“I am pleased to say it got planning permission, it’s all good.

“It wasn’t that I wasn’t going to tell them, it’s just that I always think it’s a bit easier to ask for forgiveness than what it is for permission.”