A former Dior catwalk mannequin turned eco-warrior, who was given £29.7million as a ‘break-up price’ from her billionaire on line casino tycoon boyfriend, has received a planning battle to construct vacation lets and a café on her sprawling Hampshire Property.
Malaysian-born Mandy Lieu, 37, purchased the 925-acre Ewhurst Park property, which was as soon as owned by the Duke of Wellington, in 2020 with the intention to transform it right into a world-class natural farm and nature reserve.
The primary steps of her plan have been accomplished in January, when she efficiently reintroduced beavers, which had not been seen within the county for 400 years, onto the property positioned close to Basingstoke.
Whereas comparatively unknown within the UK, the mannequin is one in every of Asia’s largest stars, fronting campaigns for Dior, strutting the catwalks in Tokyo, in addition to being the face of manufacturers akin to Miu Miu, Omega and Marc Jacobs.
Ms Lieu, who can also be a TV presenter and actress, snapped up the nation mansion for a reported £28million, after she severed ties together with her ex, Macau tycoon, Alvin Chau, who has an estimated web price of £1.57billion, who handed her the lump sum for severing ties.
Malaysian-born Mandy Lieu, 37, purchased the 925-acre Ewhurst Park property in 2020 for a reported £28million
The mannequin turned actress turned eco-warrior needs to transform the property right into a world-class natural farm and nature reserve
Ms Lieu planting the primary tree for the primary forest backyard at Ewhurst Park. The mannequin has now been given the inexperienced mild to construct new vacation lets on the nation website
Ms Lieu, who can also be a TV presenter and actress, snapped up the nation mansion for a reported £28million
Her former accomplice, whom she shares 4 kids with, made his mega fortune as chairman of Suncity Group which runs VIP gaming tables throughout Asia.
Earlier this yr, nonetheless, he was jailed for 18 years for greater than 100 prices together with organised crime and unlawful gaming.
Final week, Basingstoke and Deane District Council gave the model-turned actress the inexperienced mild to start works on her property.
This contains pulling down the prevailing barn earlier than extending different farm buildings to create 9 vacation houses, a café, in addition to related landscaping and parking spots.
The historic farm setting, which lies simply north of the primary residence and stables, might be renovated to have a contemporary contact.
Every property might be self-contained with two storey items and single degree fits and studios.
5 of the 2 storey items might be positioned inside a redeveloped barn constructing, and all of those could have their very own mezzanine degree with a lounge area.
The previous property workplace can even be transformed into one other two-storey vacation let and altered to offer area for the remaining smaller items and café.
In January her former accomplice Alvin Chau was jailed for 18 years for greater than 100 prices together with organised crime and unlawful gaming
Whereas comparatively unknown within the UK, the mannequin is one in every of Asia’s largest stars, fronting campaigns for Dior and strutting the catwalks in Tokyo
Two beavers, a ,female and male captured from Scotland’s Tay Valley, dwelling on the previous capturing property
It marked the primary time beavers have been within the county for 400 years
Plans of the creation of vacation residence lets, as seen on Basingstoke Council planning portal
An instance of one of many properties set to be constructed on the property
The park is already present process renovations to create an ‘edible panorama’ for the 2 beavers, a female and male captured from Scotland’s Tay Valley, dwelling on the previous capturing property.
They have been transported right down to Ewhurst Park by the Beaver Belief and launched in a licensed seven-acre enclosure, to hopefully breed and begin a colony.
The workforce at Ewhurst – which is made up of farm, wooden and park lands – say that after the beaver pair are settled in, they may grow to be a cornerstone of the broader conservation efforts on the property.
The mannequin turned environmental activist additionally plans to regenerate the panorama, scale back habitat loss and defend native species.
The property now boasts fields of barley, blended plant crops – to start out enhancing the soil – restored grassland and wetlands, and cattle and pigs.
In 2020 she instructed The Instances ‘I hope to open Ewhurst to ask as many individuals as doable to return on this journey with me.
‘I grew up in south-east Asia and was taught in my earliest years to respect meals and the land that it comes from. Now, I’m able to put my ardour into observe within the UK.’
A basic view of the sprawling 925-acre Ewhurst Park, which as soon as belonged to the Duke of Wellington
The 2 beavers have been introduced down from Scotland with the assistance of the Beaver Belief
Centuries earlier than the property was owned by the primary Duke of Wellington – Arthur Wellesley – who went on to function Prime Minister twice
Earlier than she purchased the sprawling property, the property was offered to American-born Michael Cohen in 2007, who’s the pinnacle of the hedge fund Och-Ziff, who reportedly purchased it for £12million.
He invested important funds within the residence, constructing a big nation home on the land, renovating its listed buildings and landscaping its expansive 18th century grounds.
Centuries earlier than the property was owned by the primary Duke of Wellington – Arthur Wellesley – who went on to function Prime Minister twice.
In addition to inventing the wellington boot, he ended the Napoleonic Wars when he defeated Napoleon on the Battle of Waterloo.
The Ewhurst mansion home and church on the property have been rebuilt in 1872-3 by W.H. Chichele Plowden, earlier than it was handed to the Duke.
It remained continued to be handed down via the household for years earlier than being offered in public sale in 1943.
