Angry objectors have piled in against plans to bulldoze a landmark Lake District property on the shores of Derwentwater – branding the idea “abhorrent”, “horrific” and “monstrous”.
Top Harley Street cosmetic surgeon Jag Chana and wife Kate, want to demolish £1.5m Brandlehow Cottage at Manesty – near the Teddy in the Window landmark – and build an “exemplar” low carbon home in its place – complete with roof solar panels, sustainable energy and a big increase in biodiversity.
But the demolition job has sparked a furious backlash with at least 120 people having flooded the LDNPA with objections to convince planners to think twice.
Respondents have poured scorn on the applicants’ description of Brandlehow as being “dilapidated” with many saying it has been used as a high-quality holiday let for hundreds of pounds a night – winning rave reviews from recent guests rating it nearly five stars.
Objectors to the plans have also branded the proposed modern replacement as a “vanity project, eyesore, and an atrocity” as well as saying it is “out of character” with the history of the area, the lakeshore and the Lake District.
Award-winning London-based architect firm, Knox Bhavan, has won recognition for its designs, including an Allerdale Borough Council award for the Rigg Beck property in the Newlands Valley. It has told the LDNPA that a survey had found that Brandlehow has “numerous” defects from leaks to dry rot and rising damp.
“The assessment of the existing building’s condition outlined in the design and access statement follows the findings of an independent Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors’ Home Survey.
“We look forward to working with the local authority to deliver the best proposal for Brandlehow and for the Lake District National Park, sensitively enhancing Brandlehow’s unique character and providing a dwelling for generations to come.”
Tony Lywood, a national park member, said in his view the application was “absurd” and the design resembled a “bunker” but that the applicant should not be abused and was free to submit any application and people could respectfully disagree.
Objector Deborah Clarke, of Loweswater, said Brandlehow was her parents’ home for more than 30 years, and she cared for them in their later years.
“We sold the house in the hope that the purchasers would love it as much as our family had,” she said. “We didn’t want it to become a second home or holiday let long term and hoped that the buyers would live there full time as soon as possible. We were aware of some issues in the structure but believed it to be fundamentally sound and repairable. Nothing that warranted tearing it down completely.”
David Guy-Johnson added: “This supposedly dilapidated cottage is currently being rented out by the owner at around £2,200 per week in the summer and £1,200 in midwinter.”
Angie Gunbas, of Trinity Way, Keswick, said: “I’m ready to lie on the path to stop any bulldozer coming this way. This is a national treasure and the most beautiful house in this part of the world.”
Objector Andrew Slattery said: “The shores of Derwentwater are largely unspoilt and have avoided the fate of Windermere where many traditional homes have now been replaced with grotesque structures that dominate the landscape.”
Keswick’s Paul Ross said: “This house on the shores of Derwentwater is not in any way a dilapidated cottage. I strongly protest the building of any modern monstrosity on this scenic national park site.”
Michael Rowlinson said: “The existing building has always looked cared for and anything but run down. The existing building is in line with the local architecture, not only for the Derwentwater and Borrowdale areas, but also in the Lake District national park. For this reason alone this application should be denied.”
Claudia Baker said: “This is a historic property going right back to Tudor times, part of the scenery and heritage of the Lake District. I have stayed there and although some work is needed to renovate and generally bring it up to modern standards, the idea of knocking it down and replacing it with a modern 21st century building is just abhorrent.”
Peter Blacklock said: “I suspect that this is someone, with lots of money, who just wants a bolt-hole in the Lake District National Park. This is not London and properties should be in keeping with our area.”
