Game, set and MOVE! Ex-British tennis number one Greg Rusedski is selling his £3M country home… after losing three-year battle to build yoga retreat

• Rusedski, 49, wanted to run workshops and a B&B at his home in West Sussex 
• But planners threw out the plans earlier this year and he has now decided to sell

Former British tennis number one Greg Rusedski is quitting his £3million country home after losing a three-year battle to turn it into a yoga and wellness retreat.

The ex-Wimbledon star, 49, and his NHS therapist wife Lucy wanted to run residential workshops and a bed and breakfast for up to 12 guests at their West Sussex farmhouse.

But planners at the local council threw out the plans earlier this year and the couple have now put their 18th Century Grade II listed home up for sale.

Rusedski had applied for planning permission for a ‘change of use’ of the property and officials were set to rule the proposed development ‘in’, not ‘out’.

But the local planning authority then served up legal opinion with lawyers called in to argue that the proposed use was as a hotel/guest house, not mixed residential.

Former British tennis number one Greg Rusedski is quitting his £3million country home (pictured) after losing a three-year battle to turn it into a yoga and wellness retreat

The ex-Wimbledon star, 49, and his NHS therapist wife Lucy wanted to run residential workshops and a bed and breakfast for up to 12 guests at their West Sussex farmhouse (Pictured: Interior of the 18th Century Grade II listed home)

Rusedski (pictured) had applied for planning permission for a ‘change of use’ of the property and officials were set to rule the proposed development ‘in’, not ‘out’

Under the plans, a 50ft party barn within the grounds would have been used for team-building exercises, executive leadership coaching, masterclasses and seminars with bed and breakfast provided in the main seven-bedroom farmhouse which boasts six reception rooms, a swimming pool and stables.

But almost half a dozen residents and the parish council objected, saying the access to Rusedski’s home was ‘wholly inappropriate’ for commercial use as it lies on a single track shared with six other properties.

Rusedski put his home on the market with posh estate agents Knight Frank during this year’s Wimbledon tournament, with a guide price of £3million.

The farmhouse boasts original timber beams, large inglenook fireplaces and original wooden doors.

The farm also includes a separate guest and staff cottage with its own private terrace next to a heated outdoor pool.

It is described as being on the edge of one of the most sought-after villages in West Sussex with a further 33 acres of woodland, pond and pasture possibly available by separate negotiation.

In the sales listing, the estate agents said: ‘The current owners have carefully refurbished the house during their ownership, creating a stylish and contemporary family house with surprisingly grand proportions for a house of this age.

‘The outstanding party barn is over 1,500 sq.ft in space and has been beautifully restored to provide excellent space for entertaining and dining on a grand scale with underfloor heating and a commercially equipped kitchen.

‘Mature gardens and grounds surround the house and provide excellent views over the surrounding countryside.’

Rusedski put his home on the market with posh estate agents Knight Frank during this year’s Wimbledon tournament, with a guide price of £3million

In 2016, Rusedski lost a second battle to build a tennis court in the grounds of his home after officials ruled that he had failed to prove that the proposed site was garden rather than farmland.

The former British number 1, who won 15 singles titles and was once ranked number four in the world, served up plans to turn his home into a wellness retreat in 2020 but finally withdrew them in February.

In a letter to planners, parish clerk Lynne Brooks said: ‘It might interest you to know that the applicant has not been at [the farm] for some months and the property is on a long term lease.

‘There is, and never has been, any real evidence of the applicant being vested in the community.

‘It leaves us with no other conclusion than to assume that this application is an exercise to maximise the value of an asset with total disregard for the community.’

But Rusedski’s planning agent volleyed back, saying: ‘The client will be operating the site and can be considered to be involved with the local community.

‘The client understands the special nature and responsibility of the ownership of a listed building and this formed part of the initial reasoning for the purchase of the building.’

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