TV presenter Sarah Beeny has been told she must demolish a large extension at her £3 million Somerset estate, which has been described as a 'mini Downton Abbey'. The property update was built without planning permission, and the local council ruled earlier this year that it must be pulled down.
Beeny, 53, bought the property in 2018 and agreed to knock down the original 1970s farmhouse to build a seven-bedroom mansion. However, the extension was carried out without permission, and a retrospective application was refused by Somerset Council. An appeal in March also failed.
A site visit is scheduled for late September or early October, where council officials will meet Beeny and her husband Graham. A spokesperson said the council will attend with appropriate specialists, and next steps will be determined after the visit.
The enforcement relates to a breach of planning conditions that required the original farmhouse to be demolished. Beeny, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022, has fought for six years to keep the property after local residents raised concerns.
Beeny has previously spoken about the importance of home, especially after losing her mother to breast cancer at a young age. She said her children have helped her realise that sentimentality is not about objects but about family.
