Comedian Josh Widdicombe and his partner, Rose Hanson, recently suspended construction on their £3 million Devon resiednce . The Grade II listed property, which was previously owned by Noel Edmonds, lacked the necessary planning permission for the ongoing works.

The £600,000 legal shadow of Noel Edmonds' Devon estate

The property in Devon carries a complicated history involving its former owner, television presenter Noel Edmonds. After purchasing the home in 2006 following his divorce from Helen Soby, Edmonds undertook extennsive renovations that eventually led to a significant legal dispute with a former associate.

As the source reports, Edmonds was embroiled in a bitter court battle with a former friend over unpaid building costs . This litigation resulted in a 2011 ruling where Edmonds was ordered to pay £600,000 plus legal fees. The house was subsequently sold in 2008 for more than £2 million, marking a turbulent chapter in the estate's history before its recent sale to the Widdicombe family.

A 7,500 sq ft Grade II listed renovation pause

Josh Widdicombe and Rose Hanson purchased the expansive 7 ,500 sq ft estate earlier this year for approximately £3 million.. The property features five en-suite bedrooms and includes a separate one-bed coach house located within the grounds.

Renovation efforts on the Grade II listed structure had already commenced before the planning oversight was identified. According to paperwork submitted by Rose Hanson, the couple had to halt construction after it was discovered that the necessary permissions had not been secured. Widdicombe has already discussed the property on the Parenting Hell podcast, where he joked with Rob Beckett that the house is not located in the fictional village of Crinkley Bottom.

The council's "positive" retrospective approval

Local authorities have since moved to resolve the planning impasse by approving a retrospective application for the work. the report says that in their decision, the council described the current renovation proposals as "positive." This approval should allow the Widdicombe family to resume their work on the estate, which is a significant undertaking given the property's historic status and its recent transition to new owners.

Which parts of the 7,500 sq ft estate remain unverified?

Several details regarding the specific scope of the renovations remain unverified by current reporting. it is currently unclear exactly which parts of the 7,500 sq ft house or the separate coach house triggered the initial planning failure.

Furthermore, the source does not specify if the council's "positive" description includes any new conditions or restrictions on the property's Grade II listed status. Whether the couple will face further scrutiny as they complete the five en-suite bedrooms remains an open question for local planning officials.