ED Sheeran plans to create his own “countryside Abbey Road Studios” – in a 19th century dilapidated piggery.
After selling over 200 million albums worldwide and being one of the biggest superstars on earth, Ed Sheeran has chosen a dilapidated farm to be his rural version of Abbey Road Studios.
Dating back to the 19th century, recent pictures show the piggery and barn in ruins, but the singer has grand plans to turn this historic farmstead into a music-making haven.
The location is not far from “Sheeranville”, his extensive 16-acre estate in Suffolk which he’s been building on for the past decade.
Ed quietly bought the farm estate, which includes a Grade II-listed farmhouse – around 400 years old – for £1,100,000 over two years ago.
Since then, his team of planners and architects have been liaising with the council regarding planning rights when it comes to converting the outbuildings.
Plans for the piggery reveal that it will be given a dramatic overhaul with a large main studio in the middle, “studio space” either side of this, plus equipment storage.
This application faced little opposition from council departments especially after an ecology report showed that there was minimal impact to any protected species.
The piggery had “negligible suitability for roosting bats”, “very low potential for great crested newts”, although it would provide “potential habitat for nesting birds”.
So Ed’s team promised to work around the nesting season, ideally just the September to February months.
It wasn’t quite as simple converting the barn into a “flexible commercial space”, which, for Ed, will be a music studio to rehearse and make his hit-selling records.
Plans show this smaller space will be split over two levels; on the ground floor will be a studio, storage, kitchen, shower and toilet. While the upper floor is to be an “office/library”.
Some council teams were concerned and initially objected.
Land contamination wanted a “desk study conducted by a qualified geo-environmental consultant’ rather than a ‘simplified’ questionnaire, which Ed’s team had initially submitted but was told it was ’not suitable for this development”.
Environmental protection also objected about the potential of ’noise impact’ on a nearby farmhouse, although it was quickly realised that this was Ed’s own farmhouse.
Highways and the public right of way were concerned about ‘significant increases’ in vehicle movements and the impact this would have on a nearby public footpath.
But these were only minor hitches before the council gave the green light last month.
Although there could be one bigger issue if Ed – who has a sprawling property portfolio – plans to bring his band to the countryside compound.
If Ed and his backing crew end up making a record-breaking album in the barn, then it would be breaking strict planning conditions.
ED’S PROPERTY EMPIRE
- Sheeranville, Suffolk – £3.7M
Sheeranville, which is Ed’s main residence, is a sprawling 16-acre countryside estate in Suffolk.
From a treehouse and wildlife pond to a pub and cinema, the estate isn’t short of facilities for Ed and his family.
While the price of Ed’s Italian residence is unknown, the villa does come equipped with its own vineyards, so undoubtedly wasn’t cheap.
- Notting Hill mansion – £20M
Ed’s Notting Hill home was previously used a backdrop for his music video and sits near the cafe he owns on Portobello Road, “Bertie Blossoms.”
- 22 flats and homes across London
As well as his mansion in Notting Hill, Ed owns at least 22 properties across London’s most sought after areas including Covent Garden, Battersea, Kensington, Chiswick and Whitechapel.
He rents out the majority of these properties, meaning Ed could be your landlord!
- Office building in Soho – £8.25M
This office was Ed’s first commercial property purchase
The council’s approval notice states: “The use of the barn shall remain functionally linked to the adjacent dwelling as a personal studio space.
“[The] reason to safeguard the residential amenity of nearby occupiers and to ensure that the development remains acceptable in terms of noise impact.”
This condition came after Ed’s team stated in its planning statement that the barn’s music studio would be solely for the owner’s use.
It said: “The barn sits within a large private space with a formal, established, access from the adjacent road. The change of use can be easily achieved within the existing structure of the barn, with no extensions or alteration works proposed.
“As noted above the proposed use will be limited to personal use by the owner / occupier of the adjacent Tannington Barn. We would be happy for any consent to include a condition to this effect.”
