Paul O’Grady’s widower has misplaced his battle to rework a hut on the £3 million rural property he inherited from the TV star right into a villa 3 times the scale.
Andre Portasio, 43, infuriated neighbours together with his design to show a disused safety outpost right into a two-bed household residence and a indifferent storage.
The dancer, who often used the hut for ballet, was accused of making an attempt to get planning permission by way of the ‘again door’ when he utilized to Ashford council, in Kent, for a ‘change of use’ of the safety lodge.
A viability report by Mr Portasio’s planning agent detailed there was no want for the lodge because the safety guards workplace since Mr O’Grady’s dying in March 2023.
However the council has rejected the applying on the premise the ‘unjustified improvement’ would create a ‘cumbersome’ and ‘intrusive’ constructing that will be ‘detriment of the character and look of the countryside’.
Andre Portasio (proper) submitted plans for the constructing’s change of use after he was bequeathed the sprawling east Kent farmstead by TV star Paul, who died final yr
The safety hut at Paul O’Grady’s former residence – Andre wished to transform it right into a home 3 times the scale
Planning paperwork confirmed he wished to rework the 360sq ft lodge right into a two-bedroom home with a separate storage.
The brand new home would have been overlaid on the footprint of the present plot, with added wings both aspect to create a lounge and bed room with en-suite.
However one neighbour Sheila Garrard wrote to the council to complain the plans would intrude on her personal ‘listed’ residence.
Whereas one other mentioned he suspected the property can be developed and bought on.
Ms Garrard complained: ‘I’m perturbed belatedly to seek out that there’s an software in respect of this straight neighbouring property, the boundary of which is simply yards from my very own (listed) property, for which I’ve not been made a consultee.
‘I ought to add that the close by roof of the groundskeeper’s workshop, which is the topic of this software, is seen from inside my home.’
Fellow native Peter Ashenden argued: ‘The current software is in direct contravention of the unique planning circumstances and in my opinion quantities to an try to realize planning permission for a big residential improvement by the again door, and one which is able to little question be bought on individually to the principle constructing.’
‘I ought to wish to object to this software for change of use to “residential” on the grounds that the unique permission associated to a dance studio, actually with no prospect of residential occupation.’
Mr Portasio thought the lodge near the doorway of the property’s driveway may have been repurposed and requested surveyors to write down a report itemizing its potential makes use of
Ballet dancer Mr Portasio inherited the property on Paul’s dying. His designs infuriated neighbours who accused him of making an attempt to get planning permission by way of the ‘again door’
The couple’s residence had six bedrooms, a swimming pool and 56 acres of land
Paul purchased the farm in August 1999 for £650,000 and lived there with Mr Portasio
Enivronmentalists had been additionally apprehensive the event might be out of sync with the native space.
Katie Miller, Planning Supervisor of the Kent Downs Nationwide Panorama Unit, mentioned: ‘The present constructing, with its boxy proportions, giant areas of glazing and flat roof is of no specific architectural benefit and fails to contribute to the native distinctiveness of the Kent Downs vernacular.’
Mr Portasio was bequethed the property in Ashford, Kent in March 2023, after Paul’s dying aged 67.
For The Love Of Canines presenter Paul purchased the farm on a gently sloping hill eight miles outdoors of Ashford in August 1999 for £650,000.
It has six bedrooms, a swimming pool and 52 acres of land in addition to an additional 4 acres of woodland.
Mr Portasio, who met Paul in 2006 and married him 11 years later, has beforehand defined the traumatic day when his husband handed away.
‘I walked to the kitchen to begin placing some meals on, and I began taking issues out of the fridge. And hastily, I may see him mendacity on the ground,’ he mentioned.
‘I simply did not know what to assume at first. He had a lower on his brow, and I believed he was most likely simply unconscious. I referred to as the ambulance and so they mentioned the most effective probability to maintain him alive was to do CPR.’
Mr Portasio started CPR which was later taken over by an ambulance crew, to no avail.
Paul had suffered a cardiac arrhythmia.
