Hollywood actress withdraws latest plans for controversial Cornish eco-home

Hollywood actress Cate Blanchett has withdrawn the latest plans for her controversial Cornish eco-home after neighbours complained.

The Lord of the Rings star, 54, and her playwright husband Andrew Upton, 57, bought the £1.6 million cottage in Mawgan Porth in Cornwall.

The original structure has since been demolished to replace it with a five-bedroom eco-home.

But the ongoing renovations have angered some of her neighbours, including claims of noise coming from the property – something denied by the architect as a case of ‘mistaken identity’.

The actress had bought a neighbouring plot of land and applied for permission to turn it into a new access and parking area for four cars.

The proposal was met with anger by locals in the Cornish village who feared it was being transformed into a 'Hollywood-on-sea' location.

The couple were accused in official objections of a 'total disregard' during construction - with claims it has 'destroyed holidays'.

However, Watershedd, the architect behind the build, claimed the noise was in fact coming from another property as there had been “no noisy works” during the peak holiday period last year.

Cornwall Council's planning portal has now confirmed the application for 'change of use' of the field has been withdrawn although no reason for the withdrawal has been made public.

It is not known at this stage if the application will be re-submitted in a different form.

Cate Blanchett bought the property with her husband Andrew Upton (Image: Paul Davey / SWNS)

Among those objecting to the latest scheme was holiday let owner Karen Burgess who accused the celebrity couple of having a "total disregard" for their neighbours during the lengthy build process.

Ms Burgess said: "I am deeply concerned that there has already been a total disregard for the noise that has destroyed the family holidays of all my guests.

“We thought [Blanchett's property] work was finally over and now there is a new application for ground works. This work should NOT be permitted during the holiday season.”

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Hitting back at Ms Burgess’s objections, architects Watershedd, responded to say: “She cannot be referring to our clients’ property where there were no noisy works during the peak holiday period last year. Once again, our clients’ property has been mistaken for other works going on in Mawgan Porth.

"Throughout the whole process of the build on our clients’ property, we have been in regular communication with friendly and accommodating neighbours to ensure that they are aware of works starting, and to alleviate any concerns regarding usual or anticipated construction noise or disturbances.

"Our contractor is always on hand to speak to people in the local community where they might have questions about the building process."

The house in the wider context of the landscape and neighbours (Image: Daniel Dayment / SWNS)

Concern had also been raised by another neighbour, Helen John, about a perceived “attempt to erode an environmentally important piece of land.”

Planning agents for the applicant previously said the loss of green space was "minimal", adding that its client intends to maintain the rest of the meadow - around 86 per cent of it.

They said the new access was also "vital for the property,” adding: “The proposed parking area would be tucked into the edge of the site and would not encroach into the open area of the meadow.

"The rising ground of the meadow is not affected in any way by the proposals, and it is only the higher areas of the meadow that are seen from other properties and public roads - not the level area of the proposals."