Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gets planning permission for changes to Chequers estate in Aylesbury Vale

Rishi Sunak’s Chequers estate has been given planning permission for new storage by Buckinghamshire Council.

The Grade I listed 16th century Chequers House, Butlers Cross, is located near the village of Ellesborough in between the towns of Princes Risborough and Wendover.

Plans to replace a storage structure at the prime minister’s Buckinghamshire country estate were submitted to the council in October.

A ‘householder’ application for the work and another related application for ‘bio compensation and enhancement’ have both been given the green light by planning officers.

A note from Mr Sunak’s office reads: “Planning application details and drawings have been withheld from view on national security grounds following instructions received from the prime minister’s office.”

The prime minister’s office has been approached for comment.

Chequers is a gothic manor house built, or at least extensively remodelled in its current form, by the high sheriff of Buckinghamshire, William Hawtrey in 1565.

The red brick mansion is owned by the Chequers Trust and was donated to future prime ministers in 1917.

UK leaders can use the estate for official business but must pay for any personal entertaining out of their own pocket.

Sunak recorded a video message about Israel at Chequers in October last year and in May hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a UK visit. President Zelensky became the first world leader to visit Mr Sunak at the Bucks country home. They met to discuss the UK’s continued support of Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.