£148m lotto jackpot winner is building his own forest at his home

Green-conscious Adrian Bayford is following in the footsteps of a number of celebrities, including Ed Sheeran, Judi Dench and Keith Richards

Euromillions jackpot winner Adrian Bayford is building his own forest at his home.

The former postman, 55, who scooped £148million with his then-wife Gillian in 2012, has planted 1,500 trees in the grounds of his sprawling country mansion in a bid to make the 189-acre estate more sustainable. He has dubbed the massive private rewilding venture, which has been three years in the making, Project WildRoots, and is now inviting schools to visit.

The move is Mr Bayford’s latest effort to go green and sees him follow in the footsteps of celebrities like Ed Sheeran, Judi Dench and Keith Richards, who have all created their own private woodlands on their properties.

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He previously submitted plans to fit 106 solar panels onto the roof of a machinery barn in order to generate enough electricity to power the £6.5million estate in Cambridgeshire, which reportedly includes a smallholding complete with an allotment, greenhouses, goats and pigs.

He has also now applied for planning permission to turn the outbuildings at the Grade II-listed mansion into a special educational site to be used by the local community, including charities and schools. Last year, he scrapped plans for a children’s theme park at the same location after it was criticised by planning consultees.

But all council departments, including ecology, conservation, transport and environmental health, plus Natural England, have given their approval to the latest plan, subject to conditions and a tweaking of plans, which includes the building of ten bat boxes and ten owl boxes.

Filed documents say the centre will be “immersing students in nature enhancing sensory experiences and providing a calming environment that will reduce anxiety and improve focus”. Plans also reveal proposals for studios, a classroom, an event space and a section for livestock, which had previously been housed in a main barn.

The largest two buildings will be a “multi-use space for education purposes” and “an open-sided barn in which educational groups can sit to have demonstrations, teaching, and forest school activities”. The design and access statement says it is not intended to be a school, but “will provide land and buildings to support a range of educational needs”.

“The outdoor setting will offer experiential learning opportunities that cater to diverse learning styles, enabling SEND learners to develop essential skills in a supportive atmosphere. Throughout the design process, the applicant has proactively engaged with the local community, including meetings with the adjacent Parish Councils, schools and local charities.”

Mr Bayford has regularly hosted events at the sprawling estate, including rock festivals and Christmas events. He has also set up an Airbnb and a vineyard, as well as selling Christmas trees from his front lawn.

He has become one of Britain’s most famous ever lottery winners due to both the size of his win and his colourful love life. He and then-wife Gillian became the UK’s second-biggest Lottery winners ever when they hit the jackpot 14 years ago and celebrated by taking their two children out for pizza.

However, they split up the following year, with Gillian moving out of their Suffolk home to return to Scotland, where she grew up. Mr Bayford has since been linked to a string of women, including stable girl Sam Burbidge and ambulance worker Tracey Biles.