Paul Hollywood's kitchen garden plan rejected

Plans from Paul Hollywood to build a walled kitchen garden for filming at his Grade II-listed home have been rejected.

The Great British Bake Off star and his wife bought their farmhouse home in Ashford, Kent, for £810,000 in 2019.

Plans were lodged with Ashford Borough Council earlier in 2025 to demolish the property's conservatory to make way for an open-plan kitchen garden with room for "ad-hoc filming".

But the council said the plans would not be a "sympathetic or appropriate addition" to the listed home.

The document said the "scale, bulk, design and massing" of the proposal would "detract" from the current "special interest" of the property.

The extension was to be clad in Flemish bond brick with plain clay, housing a kitchen-diner, and the plans also included the removal of the existing kitchen.

Externally, a patio, raised beds, and a brick wall connected to the extension were proposed.

'Unique documentary'

The initial proposal said the existing kitchen was "not large enough and is too narrow for filming purposes".

"The proposed kitchen extension will, on the other hand, provide a suitable space for these purposes," it continued.

"The space will enable the filming of unique documentary of Paul Hollywood cooking from home.

"This would provide an engaging and enhanced experience for viewers, with the chef being in his own, familiar environment."

The proposal also argued that the plans were "necessary" to "meet the modern-day standards of a larger four-bedroomed house".

To challenge the decision, Mr Hollywood would have to go through the council appeal process.