Latest news with #GreatBedwyn
The Sun
22-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Our billionaire neighbour's plan for Downton Abbey house with lagoon & 40 acres of solar panels will ‘RUIN village'
A BILLIONAIRE is at war with his neighbours after buying a sprawling country estate for a "Grand Designs" plan - with one resident describing it as "vandalism". Locals fear that Chris Rokos' schemes for the Grade I listed Tottenham House in Wiltshire will leave them with severely reduced water pressure. 11 11 The 54-year-old hedge fund owner bought the historic house - which featured on Downton Abbey - to turn it into a private residence. But locals living in nearby Great Bedwyn, on the edge of the 4,500-acre estate, claim he is turning it into his own " Grand Designs" project. Rokos plans to install 40 acres of solar panels and to build a water lagoon at North Park on the historic Savenake Estate, near Marlborough. The plans were submitted to Wiltshire County Council in October last year. The scheme is part of the wider restoration of Tottenham House, which was built in the 18th century and was home to the Earls of Ailesbury who lived there until 1946. It is hoped the development would provide around a third of the estate's electricity requirements while the lagoon would collect water in the winter months for use during the summer. The application claims this would 'ensure Tottenham House and Estate's long term and sustainable future' by providing a 'sustainable form of power and water.' In a strongly worded objection, Great Bedwyn Parish council said: "We object to the current proposal over concerns of the installation of the new water mains connection and creation of a drainage lagoon and soakaway. "We ask that Wiltshire Council seek reassurances from Thames Water that the installation of the new mains will not be to the detriment of residents within our parish with regards to the lowering of water pressure or indeed no suitable mains water supply." A spokesperson for Rokos said concerns about water pressure are "completely unfounded". Your kids are breaking law if they kick their ball over neighbour's fence, High Court rules after couple sued next door They also said the application is not for a solar farm, as the proposed panels would cover a small portion of land. But furious householders nearby have lashed out at the scheme. One local claims the Old Etonian is riding roughshod over the wishes of many people living nearby. Retired businessman, Tim Brigstow, 71, said: 'I concede that what he is doing with Tottenham House is worthwhile - after all it had been in terminal decline before he took it on. 'But his plans for the land at North Park is nothing short of vandalism. "Wanting to put up thousands of solar panels as well as creating a lagoon in such an important area as Savernake Estate is crass. 'It's as if he is starring in his own programme of Grand Designs and he has so much money he can make virtually anything happen. 'But there are issues surrounding both aspects of his planning application. "Firstly 40-acres of solar panels would look hideously out of place in the area which is world famous for the number of ancient trees. I'm locked in neighbour row over tiny 'dwarf wall' on our boundary – they want to knock it down but I'll NEVER let them By Emily Davies A BUSINESSMAN is locked in a row with the developers of a new housing estate over a tiny wall that is just two bricks high. Roger White is adamant that the "dwarf wall" on the boundary of the estate belongs to him and he refuses to let Lioncourt Homes knock it down. The 58-year-old says the mini wall in Hempsted, Gloucester, sits on land he inherited from his father in 1997, but the developer said the land it is working on is "wholly owned by Lioncourt Homes or is in adopted highway land". But the housing developer insists they need to knock down the two-brick high structure to create an emergency access route, required in their planning permission. IT worker Roger complained that they didn't approach him to buy the land before starting work. He claims the land was valued at £10,000 in 2017. In turn, Lioncourt Homes sent a cease-and-desist letter to the local businessman in the planning saga. They said he has "no entitlement to a ransom" over the tiny wall. Roger told GloucestershireLive he "keeps an eye" on the land and around a month ago he noticed the construction work going on, so looked up the planning permission online. He noticed it required an emergency access route because of potential flooding, and said it was "going to be across my land and obviously across my dwarf wall". He said: "I contacted Lioncourt Homes and said 'you don't realise I own this' and they came back and confirmed in writing that it was my dwarf wall. 'But they are saying that either the dwarf wall is adopted highway or it is their dwarf wall - which clearly isn't." The BBC reported that Lioncourt claims to have documents from 1964 proving its ownership of the wall. Roger says he has paperwork from 1971 which shows the wall belongs to him. The IT worker said he is not against the development of 70 homes being built. But he said the company needs to make sure "everything is done properly". He feels as if they want to "bulldoze" the wall and "get on with the work". "It certainly starts to feel like it is the big developer bullying a small businessman because they just seem to be adamant." A spokesperson at Lioncourt Homes said: "Works required to implement our planning permission is in land wholly owned by Lioncourt Homes or is in adopted highway land, no third-party land is required." A spokesperson for Gloucestershire County Council said: "We consider that the legal boundary of Lioncourt's land directly adjoins the public road of Honeythorn Close. Legal boundaries have no physical width (regardless of the physical boundary's appearance) and the highway status takes precedence over whoever owns the ground beneath it. "Therefore, the council considers that the works to create the emergency vehicle access as required by planning can be lawfully implemented." 'There are also concerns over the water pressure in the surrounding areas and where the water to fill the lagoon will come from.' Another local, who didn't want to be named, said: 'It is such a beautiful and historic landscape that putting up thousands of solar panels over a 40-acre site would just ruin it for all. 'We have people coming all over the world to walk through Savernake Forest and they don't want to be confronted by a wall of solar panels. 'There is a very picturesque school and a church next door to where they want to build the solar farm and the traffic going down a single track road during construction will be unbearable.' Solar panel 'intrusion' In an online objection, others argued solar panels at the historic site would be an 'intrusion.' Mark Colquhoun said: 'The development has revitalised a nationally significant heritage site with a high standard of design, landscape restoration, and attention to detail. 'However, the proposed installation of a ground-mounted PV array in North Park represents a substantial visual and historical intrusion. 'To place modern energy infrastructure here undermines the character and legibility of this protected setting.' However, the scheme has been backed by Historic England which emphasised the importance of preserving the estate. 11 11 11 A spokesperson added: 'Overall Historic England acknowledges that the installation will cause some minor harm to the overall heritage significance of the Savernake Forest Registered Park and Garden through the introduction of modern infrastructure and the creation of a new water feature in the historic landscape. 'However, it will also provide benefits in delivering a renewable energy source on-site and reduce carbon emissions associated with the operation of the estate. 'Therefore, on balance, we do not object to this application, acknowledging that the level of harm against the benefits it will afford the redevelopment and future preservation of the Tottenham House Estate.' The current Tottenham House was used as a preparatory school and a centre for young adults. It was then sold to an American investment company who wanted to build a golf course and resort on the site. In 2014, the house was sold for £11.25m to an undisclosed buyer who had plans to turn it back into a private home, after which it was sold to billionaire Rokos, who had similar plans. In 2015, the house featured in the hit TV series, Downton Abbey where it was supposed to be Dryden Park, the rather run-down estate of Sir Michael Reresby. The Sun has reached out to Rockos' company for comment. 11 11 11 11
Daily Mail
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
TALK OF THE TOWN: Look away now, ladies! Johnny the 'hot equerry' is hitched
He's the 'hot equerry' who stole thousands of hearts at King Charles 's Coronation, and now I can reveal that Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Thompson has wed his glamorous fiancee, Olivia Lewis. The King's aide and former senior bodyguard to Queen Elizabeth II quietly married Ms Lewis last Saturday at the quaint St Mary's Church in Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire. I'm told the couple kept the ceremony 'elegant' and 'low-key', and it was followed by a lunch and reception at Olivia's parents' nearby house. They have avoided the spotlight, and Colonel Thompson stepped away from his public-facing role last year after reportedly disliking all the attention he was receiving. He first entered the limelight in 2022 for his role in royal public events following the late Queen's death, and was nicknamed the 'hot equerry' after videos of him went viral online. But the hopes of many young women were swiftly dashed when they learned that the hunky colonel was a married man – to a marketing manager called Caroline, whom he wed in 2010. Then, almost as soon as it became known that he had quietly separated from his first wife, it was revealed that he had found love again, with PR executive Olivia. They announced their engagement in 2024. Colonel Thompson has regularly accompanied King Charles and joined the Royal Family on Christmas Day last year. I understand the King was invited to the wedding and had no engagements to fulfil last weekend, according to the Court Circular. Intriguingly, the King and Queen were in Canada last week – with none other than the newly married colonel. Could His Majesty have attended the wedding in secret and then travelled to Canada with Thompson in tow? Pippa's plan put out to pasture Tough times at Bucklebury Farm. I hear the 72-acre Berkshire estate owned by The Princess of Wales's sister Pippa Matthews and her hedge-fund manager husband James is £807,543 in debt. The couple submitted plans to build a nursery on the farm, which features a petting zoo beloved by Prince George, to save it from financial ruin, but the idea was slammed by the local authority. The farm has faced yearly six-figure losses since James bought it for £1.3 million in 2021. Time to sell up? The spy who loved... Meg? They've been condemned as outdated sexist stereotypes... but that doesn't stop actress Meg Bellamy from wanting to be a Bond girl. 'Oh God, sure, I will take that!' said the 22-year-old, who is best known for playing a young Kate Middleton in The Crown. Failing that, she also fancies a role in a Tom Cruise film. 'I loved Mission: Impossible,' she swooned when I ran into her at DJ Pete Tong's gig at London's Royal Albert Hall. Tigerlily's had her claws clipped Tigerlily Taylor, daughter of Queen drummer Roger Taylor, had some damage control to do last week after a promotional post for her nail brand Claws By Tiger Taylor backfired. The 30-year-old shared a video online showing French First Lady Brigitte Macron appearing to slap her husband – an AI version of the real event. In Tigerlily's film, Brigitte's hands are sporting her brand's signature red press-on nails. 'Not in the best taste,' sniffed one follower. 'Not very ethical,' wrote another. Tigerlily, right, initially responded in the comments, then the post vanished. Talk about clawing it back from the brink... David Hockney is to the art world what Mick Jagger is to rock music – a legend who gets away with breaking the rules. I'm told the National Gallery will open after hours for the painter – 'even if it's Sunday 8pm,' an insider at a private view told me last week. And if Hockney, 87, a committed smoker, wants to puff inside, staffers will turn a blind eye – but not on this occasion. 'He chose to smoke outside before coming in,' the insider said. Prince Harry's ex Cressida Bonas and her husband, Harry Wentworth-Stanley announced in January they are expecting a second child – and now I hear they've bought a palatial house for their growing family. After selling their Notting Hill flat, the couple have splashed out on a five-bedroom home for £1.75 million. Cressida, 37, right, and Harry, 36, are technically staying in West London... however in the rather less aristocratic neighbourhood of Acton. SPOTTED ◆ My spies saw Paul Mescal and Gracie Abrams drinking at a trendy bar 'with no name' in Islington and dining at Towpath in De Beauvoir Crescent. ◆ Liz Hurley and Billy Ray Cyrus returning from Rome on BA and not holding back on PDA. Love is in the air! ◆ Dua Lipa and her fiance frolicking on Hampstead Heath and feeding their sandwich to a stranger's dog. ◆ Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Gina Coladangelo browsing at a car boot sale in Chiswick. ◆ The Gentlemen cast, Theo James and Vinnie Jones, filming Guy Ritchie's TV show outside Conde Nast HQ. ◆ Outnumbered stars Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner out in Muswell Hill.
