I thought this was going down the route of a Brit couples attempts to flounce construction laws a few years ago.
The couple owned an area of land and the planning laws are something along the lines of if a building has been standing (without complaint) for x-amount of time it can stay with no further interference from the council, so this couple built their 'castle' hidden by bales of hay in the hope it wouldn't get spotted and demolished.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/7210056.stm