After £2.4million makeover, Harry and Meghan’s planning gaffe (but shhh, it’s a secret!)
Planning error was hushed up due to ‘national security’
THEY have faced strong criticism over the multi- million- pound – publicly funded – revamp of their luxury home at Windsor.
But now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex face fresh embarrassment after work in their garden left them in a potential breach of planning rules.
Agents for the couple applied for retrospective planning consent for ‘external landscaping works’ in their garden at Frogmore Cottage which is different from the design already approved by the council. The garden is also said to include a kitchen garden and £20,000 of shrubs, hedges or trees.
Retrospective planning applications can be submitted for work already carried out but it does not mean permission will automatically be granted.
If the application is refused, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council can issue an enforcement notice which could require the couple to reverse any changes made at the Grade-II listed cottage.
The exact details of the changes are not clear, however, because large swathes of the application have been redacted – which will add further to the growing secrecy row faced by the couple.
Planning applications, by law, should be published by local councils in full. There are certain exceptions including some government buildings.
But Ian Ratcliffe, project manager at the Royal Household, said in a letter to the council that details of the couple’s plans should also be kept secret.
He said ‘national security could be compromised if public access is given to the plans’ either on the council’s website or in its offices.
Copies should not be sent to statutory consultees, as is typical, he argued, adding: ‘For reasons of national security, we would appreciate if this application could be treated as confidential, and not be allowed to enter the public domain.’
Similar requests for secrecy accompanied previous applications for work at Frogmore Cottage, which has had a £2.65million renovation, with £2.4million of that from public funds.
The revised plans, according to a source, do not amount to a huge change but it is enough for them to have to go back to the drawing board and apply for planning permission again.
The source said: ‘The building services department had to make a minor amendment to the land services scaping of the property – which was out of everyone’s control – but as it was a change to the agreed plans, it was unfortunately necessary to re-submit them.
‘As the proposals include layouts of the house and garden, building ask as a matter of necessity that they are not made public for reasons of security.’
The source added: ‘ Some changes have been made to the plans to create the duke and duchess’s garden after the original planning consent was granted.
‘Frogmore Cottage will be the perfect place for a royal prince to grow up with the duke and duchess and these changes are very important to create a perfect home for themselves and Archie. These specific changes are being dealt with with the local council to avoid the need for any action.’
Harry, 34, and Meghan, 37, moved from Kensington Palace to Frogmore Cottage in March. The property was a gift from the Queen. The last minute-changes are to be privately funded, a source said.
Much of the outdoor work, such as landscaping, is still to be done and will also reportedly be paid for by the couple, while the cost of some work such as exterior repainting is believed to fall under a fiveyear royal repair programme.
The source said the language used in the letter to the council was standard for planning applications for all royal residences.
But the secrecy will add to the criticism the couple faced for choosing to keep Archie’s christening private and not revealing details of his godparents.
The council failed to respond to a request for a comment.
‘Perfect place for Archie to grow up’