A Tempest is brewing in Shakespeare's hometown over proposals for yet another extension to a lavish Indian gastropub, which was initially built without permission next to the historic Anne Hathaway's Cottage.
Entrepreneur Rakesh Singh, 56, who owns the four-star Burnside Hotel in Shottery, on the outskirts of Stratford-upon-Avon, is awaiting a decision on whether he must demolish his 'Indian gastro pub' and outdoor decking area after breaching planning regulations.
The eatery, situated 188m from Anne Hathaway's Cottage, was constructed without proper planning consent in March last year. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, responsible for managing the iconic black-and-white timber-framed property, claims the illegally extended pub already encroaches on their land.
Mr. Singh has now submitted plans to build a 400 square foot kitchen extension onto the hotel, overlooking the picturesque Shottery Brook.
If approved, the extension, roughly the size of a double garage, will face a Conservation Area opposite Anne Hathaway's Cottage.
Mr. Singh has also applied for retrospective planning permission for a storeroom that has already been built. Residents in the village, where average house prices reach ￡500,000, have strongly criticized Mr. Singh, accusing him of "making a mockery" of the planning system.
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Gillian Brown, a local resident who faces the hotel and pub from her home, expressed frustration on the council’s website regarding the establishment's approach to planning: "The applicant has a history of doing this and seems to think that the best way to achieve what they want is to build it first then apply for planning afterwards."
She warned, "I find it a concerning precedent for everyone else and makes a mockery of the planning system."
Additionally, Brown pointed out, "The additional buildings are not sympathetic with the existing building and the conservation area."
Neighbours have voiced their concerns over the impact of the pub that was illegally extended to be twice its original size, noting its detrimental effects on nearby wildlife.
Rosemary Winter-Scott, a local resident, commented on the negative visual implications: "The extension is an ugly addition to the building which impacts on the overall aesthetics of an old building that is part of a conservation area."
Mirroring her sentiment, fellow local H Anderson contacted the council, protesting: "The addition of lumpy add-ons here and there are not sympathetic [to the character of the area] and permission should again be denied."
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The backlash against the unpermitted construction culminated in Stratford District Council's decision to reject retrospective planning permission for the gastro pub, citing failure to "enhance the character" of the region.
Planners highlighted a list of six significant issues, including "a failure to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and the setting of a Grade II-listed cottage next door."
To compound the gastro pub's woes, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust initiated legal proceedings against the owner, alleging that the establishment had "intruded" on their land.
Mr Singh acquired the site from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in 2016 for a sum of ￡1.25million. The site was previously a tannery and Mr Singh obtained permission to convert it into a 22-bedroom bed and breakfast.
Since then, Mr Singh has submitted ten additional planning applications, most of which have either been rejected or withdrawn – this includes a refusal for a restaurant extension in 2018, and two other partly retrospective applications for work already carried out. Efforts are being made to get a comment from Mr Singh.