Sarah Beeny scraps farm renovation plans at her mini Downton Abbey Somerset ... trends now
Sarah Beeny has scrapped plans to renovate two barns into five new homes at her 220-acre former dairy farm in Somerset, after facing the wrath of her neighbours.
According to reports, Sarah was given the green light by the council to do the work at her 'mini Downton Abbey estate', but has not done so within the three-year timeframe granted.
The presenter, 52, who has documented the refurbishment of her country mansion on her show New Life In The Country, resubmitted plans for the conversion from five to four new homes, but now is said to have withdrawn the application completely amid a year-long war with residents.
Locals have taken umbrage with the presenter for failing to demolish a 1970s four-bedroom house old farmhouse, despite it being a specified condition of permission for the new build seven bedroom mansion four years ago.
Last year, an ecological survey found a ‘substantial’ roost for rare serotine bats in the roof of the former farmhouse, with the star submitting revised plans to keep the old farmhouse and refurbish it.
Sarah Beeny has scrapped plans to renovate two barns into five new homes at her sprawling 220-acre former dairy farm in Somerset, after facing the wrath of angry neighbours
According to reports, Sarah was given the green light by the council to do the work at her 'mini Downton Abbey estate', but has not done so within the three-year timeframe granted
Back in 2020, Sarah, 52, and her husband, Graham Swift, decided to move from their London home with their children, Billy, 18, Charlie, 16, Rafferty, 14, and Laurie, 12, to the estate
But neighbours accused Sarah of 'riding roughshod' over planning laws and claim she has 'blatantly ignored' an enforcement notice ordering her to discard earth banks she built without applying for planning permission.
In a letter to planners, one neighbour wrote, according to The Sun: 'Why on earth should further properties be erected in beautiful rural countryside on a track off a narrow lane?'
Another objector said: 'As far as I am concerned, this proposed development will only serve to line the pockets of the owners...rather than provide any real benefit to the local community.'
'The current application appears to be an attempt to negate the original condition to demolish the old farmhouse and offers as a quid pro quo to reduce the residences from five to four.
'The suggested reduction in dwellings is thus a manipulation of the original consent to get round the condition to demolish the original farmhouse,' complained another.
It is not known why Sarah pulled plans for the barn conversion which was reportedly revealed in an email from her planning agents to the local council.
It read: 'We have yet to receive any formal correspondence from yourself with regards to the outline planning application which is significantly overdue.
'However, notwithstanding the general support for the proposals on highways, ecological and utilities grounds, I write to formally withdraw the outline application.'
