HALL AND GROUNDS GOING ON OFFER

WITHOUT PLANNING PERMISSION

Source : 11/04/1974 Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Despite local fears Bugbrooke Hall and grounds are to be offered for sale as one unit, and without planning permission it was revealed today.

The 18th century hall, and 13 acres of grassland paddocks, occupy a prominent area in the centre of the village - and there have been fears that the Harrison family, which has owned the hall for centuries would offer the park for building land.

In fact there is no planning permission for the building of houses in the park, though at one stage this was contemplated.

Mr. M. J. Appleton of the Warwick estate agents, Godfrey-Rayton and Co, handling the sale, told me that the property was simply to be sold as the house and parkland.

'Basically people in the village have always assumed that the parkland was village public open space,' he said. 'They always assumed it was theirs as part of the village.'

'Our clients felt that there should be development on some of the land, perhaps along the roadside, but with the majority of the land designated a conservation area.'

'But there is definitely no planning permission for building on the land, and with the present restrictions imposed by the central government our clients have simply decided to sell the whole property as it stands.'

'After all, this hall has now been empty for two years.'

The sale is on the instruction of three brothers, Cannon Cecil Harrison, who lives opposite the property, Sir Harwood Harrison, Conservative MP for Eye, who lives in London and Suffolk, and Mr Henry Harrison of Stowe Grange, Upper Stowe.

They inherited Bugbrooke Hall from their mother.

Mr. Appleton added: 'Of course, there is nothing to stop a builder buying the property with the chance that he might be able to get planning permission for development, but that would have nothing to do with us.'