Sarah Beeny’s New Country Life viewers have criticised the presenter for pouring ‘huge amounts of concrete’ in a field in the middle of the ‘beautiful countryside’ to create her dream home.
The Channel 4 show follows the property expert, 48, her husband Graham Swift and their family after they relocated from London to Somerset, and started renovating a semi-derelict former dairy farm into their ideal family home.
In last night’s episode, the couple recruited a band of workers to begin Covid-safe renovation work after a month’s pause in the project – but the endless lorries of concrete didn’t got down well with those who tuned in.
‘I can’t help thinking whilst watching #SarahBeenyNewLife that there could of been better places to pour huge amounts of concrete, than a field in the middle of the beautiful countryside,’ wrote one.
Last night’s episode of Channel 4’s Sarah Beeny’s New Country Life followed the presenter (pictured) and her family as they recruited a band of workers to begin Covid-safe renovation work after a month’s pause in the project
Viewers criticised the presenter for pouring ‘huge amounts of concrete’ in a field in the middle of the ‘beautiful countryside’ (pictured)
Taking to the comments section, one person penned: ‘I can’t help thinking whilst watching #SarahBeenyNewLife that there could of been better places to pour huge amounts of concrete, than a field in the middle of the beautiful countryside’ (pictured)
A second added: ‘Erm… laying electrical cables without putting down the safety warning tape or a stop board? Dogs & kids running around on a building site?’
‘All that concrete will be doing wonders for the Co2 emissions? Might be green fields but not green friendly…or safe.’
The truck that will pump the concrete into the walls through its 30 metre arm could be seen arriving on site – closely followed by the first concrete truck with nearly 19 tonnes in its mixer, ready to pour.
‘The second lorry is here already,’ said Sarah Beeny. ‘It’s going to be pretty relentless today.’
The truck that will pump the concrete into the walls through its 30 metre arm could be seen arriving on site (pictured)
The couple also disagreed on whether they should have animals, so arranged to borrow four alpacas from a nearby farm to see if they liked the idea (pictured)
The couple also disagreed on whether they should have animals, so arranged to borrow four alpacas from a nearby farm to see if they liked the idea.
‘I’m not sure whether they’re really building a house or just setting up an elaborate petting zoo,’ wrote one, while a second penned:
‘No wonder the house isn’t getting built…they’re always too busy with alpacas, fishing, owls etc….’
A third added: ‘I keep watching #SarahBeenyNewLife because I want to see the new house, and yet most of the show is filled with stuff like sheep sheering or making random things! I have a feeling we might not see the finished house this series – argh!’
Sarah and husband Graham intended to build the home of their dreams on the 220 acres of land and make it a home for their four sons Billy, 15, Charlie, 13, Raffy, 10, and Lawrie, nine.
Another person who tuned in wrote: ‘I’m not sure whether they’re really building a house or just setting up an elaborate petting zoo’
Sarah and her husband Graham were eventually granted permission for their dream house.
Documents show objections to the development focused on a track leading from the property to a nearby road associated with accidents and poor traffic.
Her development on the edge of Bruton has been subject to an arduous planning permission process.
Plans for Sarah Beeny’s new home were met with objections from local residents. Pictured: Drawings submitted as part of the planning application for the Somerset property
The property expert outlined plans for the drive to the house to connect onto a road locals said was an accident blackspot
But the project was initially struck by a series of objections by locals. One neighbour labelled her original development plans ‘irresponsible and downright dangerous’ while another said they were ‘extremely foolish’.
Eight out of nine comments objected to the original application back in the summer of 2019.
Wincanton resident Paul Williams said: ‘Having lived here for 35 years and in that time seem dozens of accidents on this notorious stretch of road, several of which have been through my hedge.
‘The idea of adding a further entrance/exit in this zone seems irresponsible and downright dangerous.
‘I fully support the Parish Council’s view that in the interest of public safety this proposal must be rejected.’
Sandra Pentecost added how locals have spent days and nights ‘slowing and directing traffic on a blind bend to avoid further collisions.’
She added: ‘I think it would be extremely foolish to allow any further vehicular access onto this road, particularly as the proposed dwelling has a well maintained and safe access from Barrow Water Lane.
‘The tracks that the applicants are claiming to be existing access points are in fact not and never have been for vehicular use.
‘I urge the planners to turn down the Application for this access point on to a dangerous and fast road.’
William Heath, who live in a cottage a few hundred metres from the property said: ‘We have lived at Dairy Cottage for circa 4 years.
‘During that time we have seen at least 23 road traffic incidents on the stretch of road between Trendle lane and the Stoker Hill junction.’
The broadcaster and her husband Graham Swift bought the dairy farm in order to build an enormous mansion on the land but struggled to get planning permission
Eight out of nine comments objected to the original application back in the summer of 2019. Pictured: The land where Sarah hopes to build the home in Somerset
Official data shows a lower number of incidents than Mr Heath suggests, but he argued not all traffic incidents are reported to the local authorities.
Mark Hill, who also lives in Home Farm, Wincanton backed up Mr Heath’s claim, adding that Beeny’s exit onto the road could risk potential accidents involving animals.
He said: ‘The proposed access point has, in fact, been the scene of a number of accidents in the last ten years due to vehicles increasing their speeds as they enter this particular stretch of road.
‘One of the fields belonging to Home Farm is directly opposite the proposed access point and it contains livestock all year round.
‘One of the significant concerns is the danger posed by increasing the potential for accidents at this point that could lead to vehicles damaging the hedging, fencing and livestock.’
Objections also came towards plans to remove a small number of hedgerows to provide access to the property.
Wincanton resident Debbie Hicks said: ‘This hedgerow plays a key role in the wildlife connectivity between Moorwood and the River Pitt corridor for a number of species.’
Another neighbour argued the trimming of any hedges would be disturbing ‘nesting birds’ and therefore breaking regulations laid out by various wildlife acts.
Documents show a planning application was submitted in April 2019 and finally approved in July this year.
The Channel 4 show was met with a backlash after previous episodes when Sarah was criticised of ‘painful citysplaining’.
Sarah called the property ‘Little House on the Prairie’ as the couple began changing the land around their would-be home, including planting 1,000 trees to create a ‘woodland walk’ near the stream.
One viewer posted online: ‘Er this lot already have a big farmhouse to live in, am I missing something?’
One commented: ‘Watched expecting the warm fuzzy feeling. Instead, I feel I have been ‘citysplained’ as to how to correctly live rurally by rich town folk who can’t grasp council apprehension to the construction of a garish mansion being built in the beautiful countryside.’