Lord Sugar has been locked in a 18-month planning row amid fears his plan to rebuild his mansion could threaten the remains of an 18th-century manor house.
The Apprentice star hopes to demolish his current pile in Chigwell, Essex and build two new sprawling homes in its place.
However archaeologists have raised concerns that the new development would encroach on the site of a historic property that predates Lord Sugar’s current home.
The current mansion was built in 1908, following the demolition of the post-medieval home first owned by Battle of Trafalgar commander Sir Eliab Harvey Nugent.
The ‘fragile and finite’ remains are currently buried beneath Lord Sugar’s tennis court, which would be the site of the smaller of the two new buildings.
Under the proposals, a new four-bed house will boast a family room, library, orangery, study and drawing room, while the other property will include three ‘master rooms’ and a courtyard.
The Apprentice star hopes to demolish his current pile (pictured) in Chigwell, Essex and build two new sprawling homes in its place
Under the proposals, a new four-bed house will boast a family room and drawing room, while the other property will include three ‘master rooms’ and a courtyard (shown)
Lord Sugar, 71, also plans on restoring a 300-year-old walled garden by hand, in a bid to avoid inflicting damage by machine tools.
The 18th century manor house was initially owned by Sir Eliab Harvey Nugent, commander of HMS Temeraire at Trafalgar.
After his death he left the property to his daughter Elizabeth who married Thomas William Bramston of Skeens Hall Essex.
The property then passed to his son, Thomas Harvey Bramston, until 1881 when it passed to Alfred Savill.
His son Lawrence Savill, a chartered surveyor and one of the founders of the present-day Savills surveying practice, then demolished the Tudor home and replaced it with a modern day home in 1908.
In an objection to Lord Sugar’s plans, Place Services said: ‘The present tennis court, proposed to be the new build location, lies directly on top of the main complex of the manor.
‘The first edition Ordnance Survey map which shows that the building proposed for demolition to the east of the present house is likely to be part of the original manor complex and thus is likely to be of interest as a historic asset.
The ‘fragile and finite’ remains are currently buried beneath Lord Sugar’s tennis court, which would be the site of the smaller of the two new buildings
‘Archaeological remains are both fragile and finite.’
The consultation told the TV star that work should take place until a written scheme of historic building investigation had been submitted to and approved by them.
Archaeological investigations take place on historic building projects and can help to identify any archaeological materials that might be present on site.
Lord Sugar, 71, also plans on restoring a 300-year-old walled garden by hand, in a bid to avoid inflicting damage by machine tools
Planning agents acting for Lord Sugar, said: ‘Works will require the demolition of the existing house structure and associated outbuildings and replace with a reduced volume of development that is spread throughout two smaller structures.
‘The development will provide a replacement house on the site of the existing structure
that will be smaller in its bulk, and mass reducing the visual impact as seen from the main road.
‘A new Structure (structure 2) is then going to be sited to the East of structure 1 on an unused tennis court.
‘The scheme will also include a programme of repair and restoration to the walled garden in order to preserve the heritage assets of the site.
‘The recommendations have been made though a full structural survey, and heritage advice.’
A spokesperson for Epping Forest District Council said that a decision is yet to be made on the plans.
Representatives for Lord Sugar have been contacted for comment.