Sarah Beeny finally settles TWO year battle with council who ordered her to tear down James Bond-style ski chalet
SARAH Beeny has won a two-year battle to keep an alpine winter wonderland treehouse built without planning permission at her “mini Downton Abbey” estate.
The TV presenter, 52, built the James Bond-style ski chalet using deadwood from around the former dairy farm with help from kids Rafferty, Swift, Billy and Charlie.
It was featured in Sarah Beeny‘s New Life in the Country with an outdoor Christmas party for family and friends including fake snow and a spit-roast turkey.
But she and husband Graham Swift landed in hot water with officials at the local council after failing to get the go-ahead for the treehouse – complete with a reindeer antler chandelier.
Sarah also built a “modest” thatched boathouse and greenhouse without permission and was facing possible enforcement action to demolish the unauthorised structures.
Beeny applied for retrospective consent and was granted a “change of use” of the former agricultural land in Somerset, to effectively extend her garden.
Officials at the local council gave the green light despite objections from the local parish council who said it was too big.
The planning officer ruled: “This is a sizeable enlargement and would often be met with objection from the local planning authority due to potential for encroachment into open countryside.
“It is acknowledged that this is a substantial dwellinghouse resemblant of a country manor and therefore the resultant size of the domestic garden is generally commensurate with the scale of the host dwelling.
“Beeny bought the 220-acre farm for £3million in 2018 and her TV series has been charting its extensive renovation including the planting of 100 Christmas trees.”
She was given the go-ahead to demolish the original 1970s farmhouse to make way for a seven-bedroom mansion four years ago.
But she then tried to save the old house and extend it with a new first floor balcony.
She was turned down and has now appealed against the council’s decision.
She is still facing possible enforcement action after building earthed banks without planning permission, using excavated soil from the new build.
Officials gave Beeny the go-ahead for the garden extension after there were no objections from neighbours.
The planning officer added: “Whilst it is noted that the change of use represents a sizeable enlargement to the approved residential garden and the loss of agricultural land, the proposal is considered acceptable.
“And due to the contained nature of the site, it is considered that the proposal would not adversely encroach into the open countryside.”