Cate Blanchett continues to face challenges building 100 solar panels on £5m East Sussex mansion

Lord of the Rings star Blanchett and her partner Andrew Upton sought planning permission to build 90 panels on agricultural land to the south of their East Sussex Victorian mansion in January 2023.

They were first denied these proposals after an ecological survey identified issues with the plans. The report stated that the digging of ‘trenches’ to house the connecting cables for the panels would affect the lives of the great-crested newts (GCN) and other species living in the area.

The couple were eventually given the go-ahead by a local newt officer, but were halted further after Wealden District Council raised concerns about the potential noise being projected from the solar panel room towards their neighbours.

Jina Kwon, the UK GM of Otovo, Europe’s leading solar marketplace, has disputed these claims from the council, saying: “Solar panels are silent, it's the inverters (the equipment that converts generated electricity to a usable form) that generate low level noise. A hybrid inverter - the type used in many installations - generates noise equivalent to a household PC.

“A 90 panel system would require around five inverters, that would likely be homed inside a shed; which is essentially the noise of five PCs in a field.

“Solar remains the cheapest and most convenient form of renewable power, with minimal disruption during and post-installation.”

Planning documents shows the 2.5m high panels will be arranged in two rows and are intended to generate sustainable energy supply to the main house and outbuildings on the site.

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There have been no formal objections lodged by any local residents. Following the ecological survey, Blanchett and her husband decided to provide habitat compensation via the Newt Conservation Partnership, as part of their special ‘District Licence’ to allow work to be carried out.

The Crowborough property, which was formally owned by Doctor Who actor Tom Baker and Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, was bought by Blanchett in 2015 for £5m and has undergone major refurbishment.

Work has already begun on a new outdoor pool and home office/studio for the actress, as well as a gallery in the garden.