Ed Sheeran has upset local residents after he submitted plans to convert two historic seaside cottages into a mega coastal home.
The 34-year-old Shape of You singer snapped up the two three-bedroom 19th century terraced houses for a total of £1.95million.
The houses are situated in a strict conservation area along the Suffolk coast in what is quickly becoming one of the country’s trendiest coastal areas.
Now, the Grammy winning singer has had a planning application to create his own ‘beach paradise’ accepted by East Suffolk Council.
Sheeran plans to knock through a parting wall to create a larger four-bed house.
But, due to the ongoing housing crisis, one neighbour complained that the village was in critical need of more two and three bedroom homes.
The resident said: ‘It is concerning to see this proposal to convert two 3-bedroomed houses into one 4-bedroomed household. The application describes this as a permanent alteration to the two properties.’
They added that over 60 per cent of people who live in village are in favour of more small family homes being built in the area and they claimed it has a lower percentage of smaller properties compared to the average in both Suffolk and England.
Ed Sheeran and his wife Cherry Seaborn at the 2022 Brit Awards. The couple have upset local residents in Suffolk after they submitted plans to convert two historic seaside cottages into a mega coastal home
The 34-year-old Shape of You singer snapped up the two three-bedroom 19th century terraced houses for a total of £1.95M. The houses are situated in a strict conservation area along the Suffolk coast
Pictured: Sheeran’s planning application which would see the singer knock through a parting wall to create a larger four-bed house
They continued: ‘This position has not changed in the interim, on the contrary there are plans elsewhere in the village to demolish another 3-bedroomed dwelling to replace it with a 5-bedroomed house, losing a further smaller home in the process.
‘The proposal will reduce the housing stock of small family homes. Could the Planning Department please consider the impact of this proposal in a village which has fewer than 340 households.’
However, the planning officer dismissed these fears stating that the borough was already delivering housing above its target.
The report from the planning officer said: ‘The inspector further found that the loss of a single dwelling would not materially affect the Council’s ability to boost the supply of housing, nor would it have a harmful effect on the supply of housing in the borough and therefore would not conflict with the development plan as a whole.
‘Part of the inspector’s consideration in reaching the conclusion that no planning consequences of significance would occur was an assessment of the Council’s current housing delivery, which was above targets.’
Sheeran and wife, Cherry, didn’t need full planning permission but a certificate of lawful development, which bypasses full planning permission if it meets certain criteria.
The previous year, the musician had been given full planning permission to demolish a two-storey rear extension, which his architects said was ‘poorly constructed’ and the replacement would be in keeping with the neighbouring property’s extension.
The local parish council objected to the plan: ‘subject to an assessment investigating the detrimental impact on the neighbouring properties being satisfactorily completed’.
Sheeran’s plans have angered residents in a small Suffolk village who claim they need more small properties
The father-of-two also owns a huge estate that’s been dubbed ‘Sheeranville,’ that also includes a pub, tree house, swimming pool, underground music room and a cinema with 35ft by 20ft screen
Sheeran has splashed millions on the London property market over the years, growing his empire to 27 flats, houses, and mansions, as well as his own 16-acre estate in Suffolk
It was concerned about the neighbours’ lack of privacy and suggested ‘half or fully frosted windows’, which was a condition of East Suffolk Council giving approval.
This will be Sheeran’s second home in Suffolk – which is where he grew up.
The father-of-two also owns a huge estate that’s been dubbed ‘Sheeranville,’ that also includes a pub, tree house, swimming pool, underground music room and a cinema with 35ft by 20ft screen.
It’s thought the star has around 27 properties in his possession, including flats in Covent Garden, three houses in Chiswick and a fisherman’s cottage in Dungeness in Kent.
The singer, who has an impressive property portfolio worth a staggering £70million, has been involved in several legal disputes over his rights and his neighbours’ rights to expand their respective landmasses.
Sheeran revealed earlier this month that he was relocating to America with his family while on tour.
He recently snapped up a sprawling £9million home in New York, but for now it is believed he spends the majority of his time in Suffolk with wife and their daughters, Lyra, five, and Jupiter, three.
