The £1million Kent Farmhouse:A Second Planning Battle

Celebrity baker Paul Hollywood has reignited a planning battle at his £1million Kent farmhouse, just months after council officials rejected his bid to build a camera-friendly kitchen for cookery shows.

The Great British Bake Off judge had previously been rejected by town hall planners , but the new designs aim to address their concerns and have received supportive comments from neighbours.

Revised Plans: A More Subservient Approach

The new plans again seek to demolish the existing conservatory, but this time replace it with a smaller side extension for a new kitchen and dining area.

Two rival options have been put forward, with illustrations of both included in planning papers. one scheme would see a new outbuilding-style extension linked to the farmhouse by a small lead-roofed glazed link, increasing the building's footprint by 15 per cent.

A second option, named 'Scheme B', takes a more contemporary approach, with a new kitchen-dining space joined to the farmhouse by a sloping 'catslide' roof. its footprint would increase the farmhouse's footprint by a modest 13 per cent.

Addressing Previous Concerns

Architects acting for Hollywood argue the revised designs directly address the council's previous concerns.

The planning statement says 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 . the new application also reveals that Hollywood's walled kitchen garden dream has also been scaled back.

Supportive Neighbours

The first public comments appear supportive of the new plans. One neighbour 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.'

The Planning Battle: A Second Act

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 revised designs aim to address the council's previous concerns and have received supportive comments from neighbours.

The planning battle is set to continue, with the council expected to make a decision on the revised plans in the coming weeks.