‘It’s crazy’, owner cries as home with 25ft shark crashing through roof is BANNED from Airbnb over controversial message

A UNIQUE home with a 25ft shark crashing through the roof has been banned from Airbnb over a controversial message with the owner slamming the "crazy" move.

The Jaws-movie inspired house brings hundreds of visitors every year and was available to rent for up to £1000 a night in Oxfordshire, England.

The beautiful property, known worldwide as the 'Headington Shark House', sleeps 10 guests, boasting seven bedrooms and four bathrooms.

But the owner has since been banned from listing it on Airbnb because he doesn't have planning permission from his local council.

Magnus Hanson-Heine, 34, has been ordered to stop renting out the property as a short-term holiday let.

The council have said he failed to apply for planning permission to change the use of the terraced home from a permanent to a temporary residence.

Magnus inherited the landmark from his late dad Bill, who commissioned it without planning permission in 1986 and sparked a six-year planning row.

But he has now launched a fresh fight after being told it was blocked from Airbnb.

Magnus said he is appealing the decision with the National Planning Inspectorate and confirmed it would remain open to visitors until this appeal was heard.

Magnus said he had been "very publicly" listing it on the booking site for the last five years - so has no idea why it suddenly became an issue for the council.

Over the years the has also become a tourist attraction in Oxford, securing rave reviews from guests with an average rating of 4.86.

Magnus said: "They call it a short let property but I have been renting it out for about five years now - very publicly.

"Then about five months ago I got a message saying it was a change of use to short let and I didn't have planning permission for that.

"There is no legal definition of the amount of time that people stay for it to be classed as a short let.

"The laws were written in the 1980s and before the days of Airbnb - the council effectively decide who to go after as and when they want.

"It is crazy and not what the law should be. I applied for planning permission on that basis even though I am not sure I need it but it was rejected outright on the most trivial grounds."

According to its owner, the mega-sized art installation has a serious anti-war message.

Built by sculptor John Buckley, it was erected in 1986 on the anniversary of the atom bomb being dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki.

The huge fibreglass and steel fish was installed in secret to protest against censorship, state warfare and planning restrictions, resulting in a six-year-long battle to keep the sculpture up.

This led to local controversy and a ruling by then Tory Minister Michael Hesletine on whether the shark should be removed.

A six-year planning battle followed which only ended when the former Environment Secretary made a personal visit to the house and gave permission for the structure to stay.

Magnus added: "Yes it was an anti-war protest and was meant to be surreal, but it was put up very intentionally without planning permission.

"The thought behind it was that the council shouldn't be able to determine what people do with their houses.

"This whole ordeal we are now going through is very unpleasant. I don't know where it has come from."

Magnus previously said that the clearest theme is "opposition to military intervention and war" but said that the shark was also just a "fun" artwork.

He said: “The other principle theme is around censorship and government control, which played out through courts and public forums during the fight for the shark to be "allowed" to remain.

“While these explanations are all true, the most important one is your own.

"It might give an insight into change and the fragile nature of things that or perhaps it's just a bit of fun.”

Last year it was added to the Oxford Heritage Asset Register as a site of interest - despite Magnus' objection due to his father initially installing the shark in protest of planning laws.

Magnus previously spoke of his fears that having the home added to a Heritage Asset Register was "a stepping stone" towards getting it listed.

Councillor Linda Smith, Oxford City Council's cabinet member for housing said: "Where properties have changed from being residential homes to becoming short let businesses without planning approval, we do take enforcement action.

"We live in one the least affordable places for housing in the UK. There are nearly 800 properties let out entirely as short lets in Oxford and we need those for people to live in and not as holiday accommodation."