TV presenter James May's countryside retreat in Ansty, Wiltshire, is getting a safety upgrade after steep garden steps were deemed 'particularly dangerous' and 'precarious'.

Wiltshire Council has granted planning permission for the installation of a handrail and the reduction of the step gradient from 52 percent to 33 percent, which will mitigate the safety risk.

The $770,000 Cottage with a Pricey Safety Bill

May's Grade II listed cottage, Deer Cottage, was purchased by the couple for £770,000 in 2015. The property, originally two workers' cottages converted into a single home in 1992, sits within walking distance of May's pub, The Royal Oak, which he acquired in 2020.

The planned modifications involve ten garden steps behind a greenhouse and are classified as 'minor domestic alterations' that will not affect the listed building's fabric.

Lessons from London: May's Proactive Approach to Safety

May's primary residence is a £3 million home in Hammersmith, west London, completed in 2021 after a lengthy renovation that included the demolition of a semi-derelict commercial property.

During the London renovation , May was praised by neighbors for inclusive planning practices, which involved replacing a brick canopy deemed a hazard due to loose bricks.

The current Wiltshire step renovation follows a similar proactive approach to safety, with council documents emphasizing the works' modest scale.

Who's Behind the Safety Upgrade?

May, 63, shares the Grade II listed cottage with his long-term partner, art critic Sarah Frater .

Architects have warned that the existing steps pose a 'severe if not life-threatening injury in the event of a fall' due to their gradient.

Wiltshire Council has granted planning permission for the alterations, which will include the installation of a handrail and the reduction of the step gradient.

What's Next for May's Wiltshire Cottage?

The planned modifications will reduce the step gradient from 52 percent to 33 percent, which will mitigate the safety risk.

The property, originally two workers' cottages converted into a single home in 1992, was purchased by the couple for £770,000 in 2015.

The current Wiltshire step renovation follows a similar proactive approach to saety, with council documents emphasizing the works' modest scale.