World · India Bureau
Actor Statham seeks planning approval for Hampshire estate guesthouse
Jason Statham and partner Rosie Huntington-Whiteley have applied for retrospective planning permission to legally use a summerhouse at their New Forest property as guest accommodation. The structure, originally approved as a swimming pool pavilion, has functioned as residential quarters since 2012.
LSN India ·
The Hollywood actor and model are seeking a certificate of lawfulness from the New Forest National Park Authority to regularize the use of the annexe at their Hampshire estate. The summerhouse was initially granted planning approval as ancillary swimming pool facilities, but has been utilized as guest accommodation by the current owners and their predecessors for more than a decade.
Under planning regulations dating back to 1973, structures require formal permission for residential use. The authority is currently reviewing whether the building's continuous use as guest quarters over the past several years qualifies for lawful status under existing planning frameworks.
Retroactive planning applications are common when property owners seek to formalize uses that have operated without formal consent. The New Forest National Park Authority's assessment will determine whether the summerhouse meets criteria for residential classification or whether the owners must modify their plans or secure updated permissions.
The outcome of the application will establish the building's legal status going forward and clarify what uses the structure can legally support under current planning law.