Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright ‘apply for planning permission to extend’ at new Essex home

Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright have reportedly applied for planning permission to renovate a ‘one-bedroom annexe’ at their Essex dream home.

The TV couple are said to have gained approval from the local council to demolish their new four-bedroom farmhouse last month and turn it into a Georgian-style mansion after buying it for £1.3million in October.  

Michelle, 32, and Mark, 33, have now reportedly asked Epping Forest District Council permission to renovate the horse stables on land into a ‘one-bedroom annexe’, according to The Sun. They are said to have applied last week. 

The duo are rumoured to be turning the four-bedroom farmhouse into a sprawling Georgian-style mansion with a loft conversion, bar, gym, TV room, study, outdoor swimming pool and even a playroom.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for comment. 

The couple were said to have hit a stumbling block in early March after an alleged row with the local council over the property’s foul sewage disposal. 

Michelle and Mark submitted plans to knock down their new place and replace it with a Georgian-style mansion, but the council were reportedly concerned over fears the land was ‘contaminated’ from its previous use as a farm at the time.   

According to The Sun, Michelle and Mark failed to share any plans for getting rid of their toilet waste, with the local council concerned the plot might not have suitable drainage at the time. 

The publication claimed that Epping Forest District Council’s environmental protection and drainage unit wrote a letter stating that the pair had to provide the land drainage condition.

It read at the time: ‘The applicant has no proposal to dispose of foul sewage… the geology of the area is predominantly clay and infiltration drainage may not be suitable for the site.’   

Another council letter from February stated fears that the property is contaminated: ‘These records have identified that the site has potentially contaminated land due to its use as a farm.’

It went on to say that the project can only go ahead with certain water controls ‘to ensure that the development can be carried out safely without unacceptable risks to workers, neighbours and other offsite receptors.’

MailOnline contacted representatives for comment at the time. 

This isn’t the first time Mark and Michelle’s dream build faced issues.

A report in February confirmed that the couple will have to put bat boxes in parts of the property because rare species of bats are present in a nearby woodland. 

In planning documents, a bat survey undertaken for the couple said: ‘It is possible that bats may commute and forage along and within the woodland to the North West.

‘Therefore, it is advised that a bat considerate lighting scheme be employed during the demolition, construction and completed phase to prevent lighting of the woodland.

‘In addition, integral bat boxes should be installed in the new building.’

Bats and Great Crested Newts are protected by law, meaning it is offence to harm them, or to destroy or interfere with their roosts and habitats.

Legislation dictates that any structures or place which bats use for shelter or protection must be protected from damage or destruction, whether they are occupied or not.

It has been incorporated into planning policies meaning local authorities have a legal obligation to consider whether bats or newts are likely to be affected by a proposed development.

The couple had been waiting to find out if they would get the go-ahead to demolish their new home bought through upmarket estate agent Savills, with the local council reportedly approving the project last month.

In January, their planning agent said: ‘This new house has been carefully designed so that it is similar in area and volume to what is currently on the site.

‘The new house will sit further back on the site and will create a much more functional family dwelling for our clients.

‘The existing house has been extended several times and is not functional, therefore a new house would be a better use of the site.’

The plans for their new place boast a ground floor bar, gym, TV room, study, outdoor swimming pool – and even a playroom after Mark said they are ready to start a family. 

‘We say we’re going to try [for a baby] every year but something comes up with work,’ the presenter said recently. 

‘So it’ll be Michelle filming in South Africa and then I got the job in Los Angeles – so we think, right, we’ll try next year.

‘It’ll be around December or January, we’ll talk about it and we’ll go from there. With kids, I used to want three or four. But now, I’m 31, we’re not having kids any time before 32.

‘I think we could have two or three. Twins would be great because you’re getting two out of the way at once! Triplets would be even better! And if we have quadruplets we’d be laughing because we’d have them all in one go!’ 

Meanwhile Michelle recently shared a rare glimpse at their new home on Instagram as she showed off their incredible Koi Carp pond complete with a bridge last week. 

Revealing she was enjoying a peaceful garden day amid the UK COVID-19 lockdown, the snap saw her beloved sausage dog Phoebe running over the water feature.