British Court Orders Man to Demolish His Family's Home

[TinCow]

Zoning is theft; it destroys the rights of the property owner, and takes away from the monetary value of their land with no compensation.

This is not remotely true. First of all, zoning laws have been in place for so long now that it is pretty much impossible to buy land without knowing in advance what you can use that land for. No one deserves compensation for existing zoning laws because the restrictions on land use are already factored into the value of your land. Compensation is warranted when zoning laws change, but that's not the case here.

As for taking away from the monetary value of the land, it works both ways. Without zoning laws, I could build a tannery on my property, which would totally destroy the value of my neighbors' land. Separation of industrial, agricultural, commercial, and residential areas has been proven to be necessary for health and economic welfare. Without zoning laws, you'd have steel mills next to water treatment plants, industrial office parks at the end of your residential road, and strip clubs next to elementary schools. Zoning laws hurt when they're used to restrict you, but in the grand scheme of things everyone benefits from them far more than they suffer.

This man didn't set out to break the law; he set out to build a home. What terrible consequences was the law supposed to prevent, that we must cling blindly to it? What bad effects have his illegal actions caused?

Why is another house being built so terrible? Show me the harm in his actions, and don't cite oppressive laws as reasons to stop him.

Actually, yes he did set out to break the law. He was denied permission to build the home, so he did it anyway and spent a considerable amount of effort in making sure no one discovered the home until 4 years had elapsed. Say what you want about the harm from this incident, but it's most certainly an intentional violation of the law.