Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett has put forward plans for a remarkable garden and a grass driveway at her environmentally conscious residence in the Cornish village of Mawgan Porth. Blanchett Cornish garden plans focus on enhancing the land surrounding her five-bedroom clifftop home, earning attention amid the village’s reputation as a celebrity hotspot.
Details of Proposed Garden and Driveway Enhancements
The proposals, submitted to Cornwall Council, describe a grass driveway reinforced with concrete stabilisation pavers, designed to preserve the landscape’s natural appeal. Granite steps would lead through the garden toward the home, and a decking area is planned beside the house to provide outdoor living space. The garden itself will feature extensive shrubbery, including mass plantings of olearia bushes, sea thrift, and ornamental grasses like Ampelodesmos mauritanicus.
The landscaping scheme also incorporates Cornish boulders scattered throughout the grounds, boundary hedges for privacy, and strategically placed lighting to illuminate the area at night. The plans further include growing trailing Muehlenbeckia to form an “evergreen curtain” cascading down the bank, as well as planting ornamental trees (Phillyrea latifolia) near the vehicle access point.
A hedge of Olearia Traversii is proposed to mark the property’s boundary, alongside climbers such as Lonicera alseuosmoides to cover balustrading and additional Olearia Traversii along the front room roof edge.
Background: Construction and Local Reactions
Blanchett and her playwright husband, Andrew Upton, initially bought a £1.6 million cottage on the site before obtaining permission to demolish it and build their sustainable new home. The property took over two years to complete. However, the earlier applications and the construction process raised concerns among local residents and holiday home owners.
Some community members expressed frustration, claiming the building work turned the peaceful coastal area into a construction site and pushed property prices to levels that became “unaffordable.” One nearby holiday let owner, Karen Burgess, reported that noise from the construction disrupted her guests’ stays throughout the year, resulting in an estimated loss of £60,000 in rental income.
“noise from the construction has ‘destroyed’ the holidays of her guests across the past year.”
Karen Burgess, Holiday Let Owner
“total disregard for neighbours with the renovations.”
Holiday Home Owner
Environmental Protections and Regulatory Challenges
The demolition phase encountered a setback when bat droppings were discovered on the site, leading to an immediate halt in the removal of the old structure. Experts identified the presence of pipistrelle bats, a protected species, roosting in the summer months. To comply with wildlife conservation laws, the couple was required to submit a plan to protect these animals during the development.
Both the common pipistrelle and brown long-eared bats, found in the area, are safeguarded species in the UK, and any demolition involving roosts requires a European Protected Species licence issued by Natural England.
Significance for the Village and Environment
Cate Blanchett’s garden plans exemplify efforts to integrate natural beauty with sustainable building practices in a delicate coastal environment. While the proposals aim to soften the home’s footprint and enhance the site’s native flora, the mixed community response highlights the tension between development and preserving local character. The next stage involves Cornwall Council’s review and decision on whether to approve the landscaping plans, balancing ecological interests, resident concerns, and the evolving identity of this well-known Cornish village frequented by celebrities such as David Beckham, Kate Winslet, Jamie Dornan, and others.
The outcome will influence not only the home’s final look but also the community atmosphere, property values, and environmental stewardship in Mawgan Porth moving forward.
