Aerial photographs of TV presenter Sarah Beeny's £3 million estate in Somerset reveal significant areas of dry grass across the 220-acre property. The estate, known as a 'mini-Downton Abbey' and featured in the Channel 4 series "Sarah Beeny's New Life in the Country," includes a private boating lake with a thatched boathouse. Despite the arid appearance of the grounds, Beeny does not appear to be watering her garden with a hosepipe or drawing water from the lake, actions that would still be permissible even if a hosepipe ban were in effect.
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The property is supplied by Wessex Water, a company that has not issued a hosepipe ban. However, the Environment Agency declared a drought in Somerset on July 29. Wessex Water, which has a 50-year history without implementing a ban, has nevertheless urged customers to conserve water as local reservoirs are operating at approximately 58% capacity. Across England, about 45 million people are living in drought-stricken areas, with 27 million customers currently subject to hosepipe bans due to low river and reservoir levels.
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Beeny, 54, resides on the estate with her husband, artist Graham Swift, 53, and their four sons. She has previously advocated for water conservation, having previously stated she reuses bath water among family members to minimize waste. The estate has also been involved in an eight-year planning dispute concerning an 'illegal' farmhouse. Initially ordered to demolish the structure, Beeny may now be permitted to keep it following a recent decision by the Somerset Council planning chair.
The planning controversy began shortly after Beeny purchased the property for £3 million in 2018. The couple agreed in 2020 to demolish the original 1970s farmhouse, but the building was subsequently extended without planning permission. Retrospective approval was denied in September 2024, and an appeal was lost in February of the previous year, leading to a demolition order. However, Beeny's planning team identified a loophole, securing approval for the conversion of five agricultural buildings. A subsequent application in April proposed retaining the original farmhouse if only four barns were converted.
Last month, the chair of Somerset Council's Planning Committee South, Jason Baker, reportedly recommended the application be approved through 'delegated powers,' citing 'ecological and sustainability benefits' of retaining the farmhouse. A neighbor, Kevin Flint, expressed that the application had caused 'a lot of bad feeling in the village.'
A Wessex Water spokesperson emphasized the collective impact of small changes in water usage habits, stating, "If all customers can make small changes to their daily water use habits, this will make a big impact and help keep water flowing for each other, businesses and the environment." The company is working to fix leaks and encourage high water users to reduce non-essential consumption, warning that further restrictions may be necessary if demand does not decrease.
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