Sarah Beeny has been served with a live enforcement notice ordering the demolition of a £3 million house on her Somerset estate after the broadcaster and property developer carried out extensions without planning permission, Somerset Council confirmed.
The homes expert, who bought the rural Stoney Stoke property in 2018, had previously agreed to demolish the original 1970s farmhouse to make way for a seven‑bedroom replacement. Instead, Ms Beeny carried out extensions and alterations — including new French doors and a first‑floor balcony — then applied retrospectively for planning consent. The council refused the application and an appeal was rejected in March.
Somerset Council said a site visit involving enforcement officers and ecological specialists is due "later this month or early October" and that next steps will be determined after the visit. The authority plans to meet Ms Beeny and her husband, Graham Swift, at the site.
The dispute has unfolded over six years and has drawn objections from Charlton Musgrove Parish Council and some neighbours, who argued the works contradicted earlier approvals. The parish council also raised ecological concerns after bats were recorded at the farmhouse and requested that a roost be provided as part of any works.
Locals have publicly criticised the developments. One neighbour, Kevin Flint, told The Sun he believed unauthorised works should be removed. A spokesman for Ms Beeny did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The property and its refurbishment have been featured on Ms Beeny’s Channel 4 series New Life in the Country. The presenter previously faced a separate planning dispute over other unauthorised structures on the estate, including a large timber treehouse built from deadwood from the former dairy farm. In that case, she won permission in 2022 after a two‑year battle when officials granted a retrospective change of use for a portion of agricultural land to be added to the garden.
Her planning record in the area includes several other contested applications. Last year she withdrew or altered proposals to convert two barns into four homes after objections from neighbours, and the council has at times challenged earthworks and other additions made without permission.
The council's enforcement notice follows its refusal and the lost appeal, which were supported by a detailed submission from Ms Beeny’s design team. That submission included a 125‑page document arguing the alterations should be permitted retrospectively.
Planning enforcement notices are legal instruments that can require restoration of land and removal of unauthorised buildings. If the owner does not comply, councils can seek injunctions, fines or, in some cases, carry out the work and recover costs. Somerset Council has not said whether it will pursue further court action if demolition is not undertaken voluntarily.
The case has prompted comparisons with other high‑profile enforcement actions in England. Critics pointed to a recent example in which an unauthorised development was ordered removed after public objection, noting the council’s willingness to take formal steps to enforce planning law.
Ms Beeny, a television presenter known for Property Ladder and other programmes, bought the Stoney Stoke estate in 2018 with plans for substantial renovation. She and her family have portrayed some of the work on national television and in press coverage as part of an extended restoration of the former dairy farm and its grounds.
Somerset Council said it would attend the site meeting with appropriate specialists, including ecological experts, to assess the impact of the works and determine the next steps. Ms Beeny’s representative was contacted for comment.