Last updated at 12:17, Friday, 13 February 2015

Historic features at a grade two listed manor near Keswick were damaged while it was owned by a Russian oligarch, it has been claimed.

Plans to restore Underscar Manor, at Applethwaite, state that significant harm had been done to numerous rooms atthe property.

A report, by Cockermouth design consultant Darren Ward, of Red Raven Design, said that ornate plaster cornices, arches and surrounds had been removed by the person behind previous planning applications at the site and no longer existed.

Mr Ward added: “The vast majority of the harm is of such extent that full restoration is not possible.”

The hotel was understood to have been bought by Russian oligarch Alexander Mineev.

The ownership company Santakoff Trust Limited secured planning permission to turn it into a private house.

Mr Mineev, who was assassinated last year, was behind five planning applications for work at the property in 2010 and 2011.

They included plans for a garage/workshop building, landscaping changes and internal and external changes.

The Lake District National Park Authority confirmed that unauthorised work had been done on the building, which it has been investigating since early 2011.

Fireplaces, door surrounds and skirting boards were among the features affected, it said.

Built as a private villa in the mid-1800s, the building had later alterations and became a hotel in 1990.

It was owned by Derek and Pauline Harrison and Gordon Evans until 2009, when they closed the doors and sold it.

Julie Birkett, Lake District National Park Authority planning officer, said: “I can confirm that substantial works took place, which affected the special architectural and historic interest of the grade-two listed building, without the necessary listed building consent being in place.

“The works are therefore in breach of listed building control and the person responsible was guilty of committing an offence.”

She added that the offence was committed while the manor was owned by Santakoff Trust Limited but the authority had not been able to confirm whether Mr Mineev was responsible.

It is understood that ownership of the house later transferred to Mr Mineev’s ex-wife through their divorce.

The millionaire was killed in Moscow in January last year when he was shot repeatedly through the window of his car.

In August it was confirmed that Keswick-born businessman Jonathan Brown had bought the property for an undisclosed sum.

Miami-based Mr Brown, who founded Grants Smokehouse in Maryport, said then that he had fond memories of delivering smoked salmon to the hotel, which was one of his first customers after he left Keswick School.

He said he hoped to spend a lot of time there in the future.

He is seeking permission from the national park to rectify the damage caused by the previous owner.

First published at 12:14, Friday, 13 February 2015
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk

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