Blow to Ed Sheeran as star’s £1.1m plans to turn farm into ‘rural Abbey Road’ held up by protected newts
ED Sheeran’s plans to build a Beatles-type recording complex are being held up — by protected newts.
The music superstar, 34, purchased a 19th-century farm with the intention of turning it into his own country version of the Fab Four’s Abbey Road Studios.
He had plans approved to convert the historic — but dilapidated — piggery and barn, but ecologists have now warned of a potential danger to great crested newts (GCN) living nearby.
The property is close to their ponds and construction could be damaging to wildlife, especially precious amphibians, and a licence has to be obtained before any work begins.
An environmental report by ecologist Liz Lord said: “There is potential for the proposals to result in disturbance or harm to individual GCN in the event of their presence in any of the identified nearby water bodies.”
Ed bought the farm estate in Suffolk for £1.1million two years ago.
It is not far from so-called Sheeranville, his 16-acre estate that he has been developing for the past decade.
The Shape of You star had plans approved last year to overhaul the piggery, including creating a large studio in the middle.
However the newts fears arose from a fresh planning application Ed’s team submitted this month to Mid-Suffolk District Council.
The singer now wants to demolish the barn, which is said to be about 400 years old, and replace it with a more energy- efficient design to house a studio, storage, office and kitchenette.
The environmental report demanded a string of other eco-friendly measures should permission be granted.
The works can be carried out only between September and February to avoid the bird nesting season.
There must also be two bat boxes — and a triple house sparrow tower.
Ed, who has two children with wife Cherry Seaborn, has also promised to plant 12 new crab apple or domestic fruit trees and a flowering lawn.
Ms Lord produced a biodiversity net gain assessment because new builds have to leave the natural habitat in at least a tenth better state than it was previously.
She said: “The proposals provide the opportunity to provide small areas of habitat which are not currently present in the immediate surroundings. This exceeds any existing obligations.”