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Angry villagers fear they will face a ‘constant stream’ of visitors if plans for a holiday let at Paul O’Grady’s former home are approved.
Proposals to transform a redundant security office at the much-loved TV star’s estate in Aldington, Kent, have been lodged by his widower, Andre Portasio.
It comes after planning officers at Ashford Borough Council (ABC) rejected Mr Portasio’s bid to turn the same building into a house three times the size last month.
Mr Portasio, a former professional ballet dancer, inherited the Knoll Hill property from his husband following his death at the site in March last year, aged 67.
Paul O’Grady (pictured with widower Andre Portasio) was reported to have left £15.5m in his will, including half-a-million pounds to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
Mr O’Grady bought the land in Aldington in August 1999 for £650,000
The main house on the site has six bedrooms, a swimming pool and 52 acres, as well as a further four acres of woodland
His latest plans were submitted to ABC earlier this month, but have already received two objections from concerned villagers.
Commenting on the ABC planning portal, Peter Ashenden wrote: ‘A holiday let would introduce a constant stream of visiting drivers unfamiliar with the property’s awkward access.
‘There are many near-misses at this point, and it is certainly not a good place for unwary pedestrians, or for cars nosing out at the wrong moment.’
Sheila Garrard has also objected to the plans and described them as ‘inappropriate’.
She said: ‘If this proposal is permitted, it would signal that persistence can pay off for inappropriate developments in the countryside.
‘The proposal envisages bringing the full-height, full frontal, south-facing glazing forward from under the existing overhang.
‘At night, massive light spillage from the building, where it stands up on the ridge, will quite possibly be seen from down on Romney Marsh and will radiate up into the sky.
‘I fear that, were this application to be permitted, we would in the future be seeing a further change of use request, to (permanent) residential, on the ground that the holiday let was not commercially viable.’
Aldington and Bonnington Parish Council has also objected to the scheme, stating the design does not enhance the character and tranquillity of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
If approved, the building would be turned into a one-bed holiday let featuring an en-suite.
But when the previous plans were being considered, consultants working on behalf of Mr Portasio said how the ‘best and most suitable use’ of the lodge was as a residential space.
They advised against a retail or office unit due to the remote location and had initially ruled out the holiday let idea due to the ‘abundance of accommodation’ in the area.
Planning officers at ABC threw out the residential scheme amid concerns it would appear as an ‘incongruous and intrusive feature’ at the rural site.
A decision on the latest plans is expected to be made by the authority by the end of August.
O’Grady was reported to have left £15.5m in his will, including half-a-million pounds to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
He had bought the land in Aldington in August 1999 for £650,000.
The main house on the site has six bedrooms, a swimming pool and 52 acres, as well as a further four acres of woodland.
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