Kate Winslet seeks approval to replace gates at Sussex home

Kate Winslet has applied to replace two rotting gates at her Grade II-listed home in West Wittering, Sussex, with treated timber designed to withstand the salty sea air. The proposal is part of maintaining the property in an area facing flooding and coastal erosion, though the application concerns the gates rather than new sea defences.

The house, bought for £3.25 million in 2013 and now estimated to be worth about £5 million, sits in Flood Zone 3, the highest risk category. The waterfront gate would widen from about 1.15 metres to 1.5 metres, requiring a small section of hedge to be moved and replanted; the public coastal path would remain unobstructed. The Environment Agency has not objected so far, but says a separate permit may be needed for work within 16 metres of a sea defence.