Paul Hollywood Sparks Feud with Neighbors Over Walled Garden at £1m Historic Home

Paul Hollywood's Revised Plans for Kent Farmhouse Spark New Debate

Paul Hollywood, the renowned Great British Bake Off judge, has once again stirred up a planning controversy at his £1 million farmhouse in Kent. This comes just months after his initial proposal to build a camera-friendly kitchen was rejected by local authorities.

The 60-year-old celebrity baker purchased the four-bedroom 18th-century farmhouse near Ashford for £810,000 in 2019. His original plan was to replace a 1980s lean-to conservatory with a large open-plan kitchen-diner. The idea was that this new space would allow him to film cookery shows from home, which he argued would be a "social benefit to the public."

However, the claim drew skepticism from locals, who questioned what commercial use was being proposed and what benefits it would bring to the area. Ashford Borough Council ultimately rejected the scheme, stating that it was not a "sympathetic or appropriate addition" to the Grade II listed building. They warned that the scale and design of the proposed changes would harm the property’s character.

Now, Hollywood and his wife Melissa Spalding, 42, have submitted revised plans, and the filming references appear to have been removed entirely. The new proposals aim to demolish the existing conservatory but replace it with a smaller side extension for a new kitchen and dining area.

Two rival options have been presented, each with detailed illustrations included in the planning documents.

• Option One involves a new outbuilding-style extension connected to the farmhouse via a small lead-roofed glazed link. This would increase the building’s footprint by 15%, significantly less than the previously rejected 2025 scheme, which would have increased the footprint by almost a quarter.

• Option Two, named 'Scheme B,' takes a more contemporary approach, featuring a new kitchen-dining space joined to the farmhouse by a sloping 'catslide' roof. Its footprint would increase by a modest 13%.

The planning statement claims both schemes have been designed to appear "subservient" to the original listed building and to better reflect the farmhouse’s character. Under both plans, Hollywood’s current kitchen would be stripped out and converted into a study.

Revisions to the Walled Garden

The revised application also reveals that Hollywood's walled kitchen garden dream has been scaled back. Previously, the plans included fruit trees, raised beds, and pathways to allow the celebrity baker to grow his own vegetables and herbs. However, council officers had concerns about the proposed high-level brick wall, which they felt looked more suited to a "higher status country house."

This time, the garden would be enclosed by a lower brick wall using materials intended to match the existing property.

Support from Neighbors

Architects acting for Hollywood argue that the revised designs directly address the council’s previous concerns. Planning documents insist the proposals would "bring clear benefits" to the heritage of the farmhouse and would not harm its character.

They state: "The design approach has been changed so that both options are sympathetic to the characteristics of the original listed building in terms of symmetry, appearance and setting. It is considered that both options offer a high-quality design approach whereby both options utilise elements of form, articulation and materiality from the host dwelling to ensure that the extensions would not detract from the significance of the building, its setting or wider area."

The papers add that the revised designs are "materially smaller" than the refused scheme and should now be granted planning permission.

Public Reaction

The earlier battle saw one local defend Hollywood, saying: "Why shouldn’t he be allowed to film in his own home? It’s his own private property." This time, the first public comments appear supportive.

One neighbor wrote: "These works are of no concern to us. The property is well screened off and should be of no concern to anyone else either. I support this application."

Another said: "I support this application, it complements the existing property and the surrounding area."

There are currently no objections listed on Ashford Borough Council’s planning portal.