Omaze house winner’s stressful wait for £6m Norfolk home after planning row
An Omaze winner has described waiting for her £6m Norfolk home as “extremely stressful”.
While winning a £6 million home may sound like a dream come true for most of us - it turned out to be the start of an stressful time for one woman. In March 2025, Vicky Curtis-Cresswell scooped the top prize in a Comic Relief contest hosted by draw organiser Omaze, winning a multi-million pound property in Blakeney, Norfolk.
But the South Wales resident then faced challenges as she attempted to take ownership of the coastal property following a council investigation revealed the win had breached planning rules.
Omaze spent months working to sort out the building regulation issues which they now say are resolved. A spokesperson said: "We are pleased to confirm that all remaining works at the Blakeney property have been completed, and the home is ready for handover. Omaze appreciates that the process has taken time given the initial planning-related matters initiated by third parties that have been fully resolved and looks forward to completing the handover shortly."
Vicky scooped the three-bed home in what was then Omaze's biggest ever prize draw - raising money for Comic Relief. But North Norfolk District Council later launched an investigation that found it was in breach of planning rules, claiming elements were built without the correct permission, including a pool, garage and tennis court.
It has been reported that after Omaze bought the property, in 2024, the firm had to apply for retrospective planning permission for changes to the house, meaning Vicky was made to wait to get the keys.
However, permission was granted in October last year, and she is now able to take up residence. Omaze said Vicky, who has already received a £250,000 cash prize, has been ''supported throughout the process".
Omaze regularly runs draws in which entrants have the chance to land a high-value property anywhere from the Cotswolds to Cornwall.