Plans to convert former National Trust property into short-stay accommodation

By Local Democracy Reporter Peter Davison

A country house formerly owned by the National Trust could be turned into “high-end short-stay accommodation,” under new plans.

Kindred Living Project wants to turn the former Eastleigh Court and its adjoining stables at Bishopstrow, near Warminster, into short-stay self-catering accommodation for up to 56 guests at a time.

The company also wants to erect a new ancillary pavilion building and swimming pool.

The demolition and rebuilding of a single-storey extension, erected in the 1990s by the National Trust, is also included in the plans. The company also wants to make repairs to the roof and windows.

Kindred Living Project was founded by Anna Anderson and Sam Hampson in 2018 to “create beautiful gathering spaces to encourage connection, celebration, and community.”

In a planning application to Wiltshire Council, Kindred Living Project says, “The project presents an amazing opportunity to bring life to this historic site, with a vision to sensitively restore, extend and re-imagine the estate, preserving its long-term future as a valuable asset to the local area.”

They say since its conversion to office space, Eastleigh Court “has lost many of its historic features and so the scheme proposes to sensitively repair and restore the building.”

They intend to build a new pavilion on the footprint of the original orangery as an events space for up to 120 people. Large events, they say, would be limited to 20 a year, following conversations with the local community.

A new low-carbon energy system, including air source heat pumps, will improve the environmental impact of the buildings, while the neglected landscaped grounds and historic paths will be restored.

The current house was built in 1884, replacing a previous country house built in 1830. Distinctive turrets were demolished in the 1920s. The National Trust took possession of the property in 1990 and used the building for offices until 2012, when it put the building on the market as a £1.25 million private home.

In 2021, Wiltshire Council granted planning permission for the conversion of the stables into a residential care home for six young people