Paul O’Grady’s ballet dancer husband faces planning battle to transform hut on rural estate he inherited from TV star into house three times the size

Paul O’Grady‘s widower faces a battle with conservationists after he lodged plans to transform a redundant security office on the rural estate he inherited into a house three times the size.

Andre Portasio submitted plans for the building’s change of use after he was bequeathed the sprawling east Kent farmstead by TV star Paul, who died last year.

But he faces a potential fight with environmentalists who have slammed the idea, saying the new home ‘fails to conserve or enhance the special character and qualities’ of the Kent Downs.

Lily Savage star Paul died at the home he shared with husband Andre in Aldington, near Ashford, in March 2023 aged 67.

Ballet dancer Andre inherited the property on his death and, according to documents, is now ‘in the process of re-rationalising the estate’. 

A lodge close to the entrance of the property’s driveway was previously used to house a security guard and consists of an office, utility room, shower and large hallway.

However, Mr Portasio now thinks it could be repurposed and asked surveyors to write a report listing its potential uses.

Lambert & Foster surveyor Lavine Lammy looked at whether the 360sq ft hut could become office space, a business, an annexe to the main house or a holiday let.

But Ms Lammy said ‘demand for a retail outlet providing food, clothes or haberdashery in this location is limited’ before adding that it would be unlikely to make good office space as workers would have to use cars and nearby towns already had outlets to let.

Then moving on to whether the building could become a holiday let, she said: ‘Given the remoteness and the abundance of holiday let accommodation, it is fair to expect a significant vacancy void on changing the use to a holiday let.’

The building also didn’t work as an annexe to the main house, she added, before stating its only realistic use was as a separate dwelling.

She added: ‘This appraisal concludes that the current use as a security guard’s office is no longer required, particularly, with the recent passing of Paul O’Grady.

‘The best and most suitable use….is that of residential use.’

For The Love Of Dogs presenter Paul bought the farm on a gently sloping hill eight miles outside of Ashford in August 1999 for £650,000.

It has six bedrooms, a swimming pool and 52 acres of land as well as a further four acres of woodland.

Mr Portasio, who met Paul in 2006 and married him 11 years later, has now applied to Ashford Borough Council for the change of use of the security hut to residential use.

Plans show he wants to transform the lodge into a two-bedroom house more than three times its current size with a separate garage.

The new house will be overlaid on the footprint of the existing plot, with added wings either side to create a living room and bedroom with en-suite.

But he faces a battle from local environmentalists who say the idea doesn’t fit with its surroundings.

Writing to Katy Magnall, case officer at Ashford Borough Council, Katie Miller, Planning Manager of the Kent Downs National Landscape Unit, said: ‘The existing building requires extensive extension to accommodate the proposed use; it is proposed to increase the footprint of the existing building three fold, from 48m2 to 173m2.

‘The existing building, with its boxy proportions, large areas of glazing and flat roof is of no particular architectural merit and fails to contribute to the local distinctiveness of the Kent Downs vernacular.

‘The extension is proposed in the same form as the existing building and would increase the length of building from approximately 8 metres to 24 metres, which will have a significantly greater impact than the modestly sized existing office building.

‘In addition to the above concerns, extensive areas of full length glazing are proposed on the southern elevation and the residential use of the building would result in the introduction of light pollution into this part of the Kent Downs.’

And she added: ‘Taking the above into account, it is considered that the proposal fails to conserve or enhance the special character and qualities of the National Landscape.

‘It is the NL team’s conclusion that approval of the application would fail to ‘further the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the area of outstanding natural beauty.’

Widower Andre recently spoke about the day he lost Paul in March last year, saying he had gone into the kitchen to make a cup of tea.

He heard a bang but thought nothing of it, assuming Paul had stepped outside to a cottage they were renovating.

‘I walked to the kitchen to start putting some food on, and I started taking things out of the fridge. And all of a sudden, I could see him lying on the floor,’ Andre said.

‘I just didn’t know what to think at first. He had a cut on his forehead, and I thought he was probably just unconscious. I called the ambulance and they said the best chance to keep him alive was to do CPR.’

Andre began CPR which was later taken over by an ambulance crew, to no avail, as Paul had suffered a cardiac arrhythmia.

The star left huge sums of money to charity in his will, including £500,000 to Battersea Dogs Home.

He also made sure his own dogs were well cared for, leaving £125,000 be spent on the upkeep of his five pets, who are now owned by his agent Joan Marshrons.

Paul was buried in St Rumwold’s Church in nearby Bonnington on April 20, 2023.

Ashford Borough Council is currently considering the application.