Sir Paul's reprieve
SIR Paul McCartney has won a temporary reprieve from having to demolish the log cabin he built without planning permission on his Peasmarsh farm.
Rother's planning committee has approved enforcement action but will defer this until it considers an offer from the pop legend to remove other eyesore buildings on his land.
Sir Paul is so determined to save the log cabin hide-away he has offered to bulldoze a three-bedroomed house on his land, at Woodlands Farm, and knock down to agricultural barns which have 'a negative visual impact'.
He says demolishing the buildings will 'more than compensate' for being allowed to keep his log cabin and pavilion.
Sir Paul, 64, built the two bedroomed cabin with a gym and annexe, in woodland on his 933-acre estate at a reported cost of more than 1 million.
He says the buildings are vital to give him and his family privacy, but planners at Rother insist they harm the character of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
A supporting statement on behalf of Sir Paul in a planning application said he had 'a requirement for privacy, seclusion and security.'
Sir Paul also owns a town house in St John's Wood, London, penthouse flat in Picadilly, farm in the Mull of Kintyre, flat in New York and a ranch in Arizona. Woodlands Farm has been the family home of Sir Paul, his late wife Linda, and their children for more than 25 years.
Rother planning chief Frank Rallings said: "Members resolved to authorise an enforcement but defer any action until the newly-submitted planning application has been submitted.
"In the event the new application is granted, no further action will be taken in regard to the enforcement.
"Conversely, if the application is refused then action will be taken in issuing the enforcement notice and this will allow the landowner to appeal against both the planning refusal and the enforcement notice."
Peasmarsh residents have complained of intrusion by the national media while the planning feud has gone on.
A local councillor, who asked not to be named, said: "I was gardening and had someone from the BBC march up my garden path demanding to know where Sir Paul lived. Of course I refused to tell him. Sir Paul is entitled to his privacy."
Some local residents have been on watch at the entrance to Woodlands Farm to ensure no journalists or photographers trespass on the property.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for St Leonards-on-Sea
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -2 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light sleet showers
Temperature: -2 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 6 mph
Wind direction: West
