TV star Sarah Beeny is facing the possibility of tearing down part of her £3 million estate after a long-running dispute with the local council over unauthorised extensions

Sarah Beeny ordered to tear down home extension in £3m estate row with council

Property expert Sarah Beeny has been told she must demolish a large extension built without permission on her £3 million countryside estate. The extensive renovation, which transformed her Somerset home into what has been described as a “mini Downton Abbey,” was featured in her Channel 4 series Sarah’s New Life in the Country.

However, her decision to expand the property without full approval has sparked a long-running dispute with both local authorities and residents. Some critics have even compared her actions to Hannah Ingram-Moore, daughter of the late Captain Tom, who illegally built a spa complex on her property and was later forced to remove it. Ingram-Moore had claimed the structure was partially used by her father’s foundation.

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Sarah, 53, has been locked in a six-year battle with the local council and neighbours over her ambitious plans to remodel the rural estate, which she purchased in 2018. The council originally granted permission for a new house on the condition that the existing 1970s farmhouse and its outbuildings were completely demolished.

Sarah, 53, has been locked in a six-year battle with the local council (Image: Outline Productions)

However, rather than tearing the old house down, Sarah extended it further, adding features like French doors and a first-floor balcony. She later applied for retrospective planning permission, but the council rejected the application in May.

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Sarah and her husband, Graham Swift, appealed the decision to the Planning Inspectorate, but their case was dismissed last week. Now, with an active enforcement notice in place, demolition of the unauthorised extension appears inevitable.

The council issued a statement saying they are “reviewing the case in respect of further action,” adding that the enforcement relates to a breach of planning conditions that required the original farmhouse to be demolished.

One of the key issues raised in the planning battle involved protected bat roosts in the old farmhouse. The planning inspector noted concerns that Sarah may struggle to obtain a licence from Natural England to disturb the bats, further complicating the situation.

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Beyond the legal hurdles, local residents and the parish council have voiced strong opposition to the works. Neighbour Kevin Flint told the Mail Online: “It’s created a lot of bad feeling in the village. She was given permission to build the new house on condition she knocked down the old one, which she extended and refurbished – it’s just not on.

Sarah’s ambitious home renovations have caused havoc(Image: Channel 4/Instagram)

“She thinks she can move down here and ride roughshod over everybody, but it’s not going to happen. I think the fair thing would be for anything unauthorised on the site to be demolished like Captain Tom’s daughter,” he added.

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This is not the first time Sarah’s redevelopment plans have caused controversy. Earlier this year, she abandoned a proposal to convert two barns into four new homes after strong objections from locals. Residents accused her of “blatantly ignoring” an enforcement notice requiring her to remove unauthorised earth banks built without approval.

With tensions running high and legal barriers mounting, it remains to be seen how Sarah Beeny will respond to the latest order to dismantle part of her multi-million-pound home. The Mirror has approached Sarah’s representatives for comment on this story.