A former Dior catwalk model turned eco-warrior, who was given £29.7million as a 'break-up fee' from her billionaire casino tycoon boyfriend, has won a planning battle to build holiday lets and a café on her sprawling Hampshire estate.
Malaysian-born Mandy Lieu, 37, bought the 925-acre Ewhurst Park estate, which was once owned by the Duke of Wellington, in 2020 with the intention to convert it into a world-class organic farm and nature reserve.
The first steps of her plan were completed in January, when she successfully reintroduced beavers, which had not been seen in the county for 400 years, onto the estate located near Basingstoke.
While relatively unknown in the UK, the model is one of Asia's biggest stars, fronting campaigns for Dior, strutting the catwalks in Tokyo, as well as being the face of brands such as Miu Miu, Omega and Marc Jacobs.
Ms Lieu, who is also a TV presenter and actress, snapped up the country mansion for a reported £28million, after she severed ties with her ex, Macau tycoon, Alvin Chau, who has an estimated net worth of £1.57billion, who handed her the lump sum for severing ties.
Malaysian-born Mandy Lieu, 37, bought the 925-acre Ewhurst Park estate in 2020 for a reported £28million
The model turned actress turned eco-warrior wants to convert the estate into a world-class organic farm and nature reserve
Ms Lieu planting the first tree for the first forest garden at Ewhurst Park. The model has now been given the green light to build new holiday lets on the country site
Ms Lieu, who is also a TV presenter and actress, snapped up the country mansion for a reported £28million
Her former partner, whom she shares four children with, made his mega fortune as chairman of Suncity Group which runs VIP gaming tables across Asia.
Earlier this year, however, he was jailed for 18 years for more than 100 charges including organised crime and illegal gaming.
Last week, Basingstoke and Deane District Council gave the model-turned actress the green light to begin works on her property.
This includes knocking down the existing barn before extending other farm buildings to create nine holiday homes, a café, as well as associated landscaping and parking spots.
The historic farm setting, which lies just north of the main home and stables, will be renovated to have a modern touch.
Each property will be self-contained with two storey units and single level suits and studios.
Five of the two storey units will be located within a redeveloped barn building, and all of these will have their own mezzanine level with a lounge space.
The former estate office will also be converted into another two-storey holiday let and altered to provide space for the remaining smaller units and café.
In January her former partner Alvin Chau was jailed for 18 years for more than 100 charges including organised crime and illegal gaming
While relatively unknown in the UK, the model is one of Asia's biggest stars, fronting campaigns for Dior and strutting the catwalks in Tokyo
Two beavers, a ,male and female captured from Scotland's Tay Valley, living on the former shooting estate
Plans of the creation of holiday home lets, as seen on Basingstoke Council planning portal
An example of one of the properties set to be built on the estate
The park is already undergoing renovations to create an 'edible landscape' for the two beavers, a male and female captured from Scotland's Tay Valley, living on the former shooting estate.
They were transported down to Ewhurst Park by the Beaver Trust and released in a licensed seven-acre enclosure, to hopefully breed and start a colony.
The team at Ewhurst - which is made up of farm, wood and park lands - say that once the beaver pair are settled in, they will become a cornerstone of the wider conservation efforts on the estate.
The model turned environmental activist also plans to regenerate the landscape, reduce habitat loss and protect native species.
The estate now boasts fields of barley, mixed plant crops - to start improving the soil - restored grassland and wetlands, and cattle and pigs.
In 2020 she told The Times 'I hope to open Ewhurst to invite as many people as possible to come on this journey with me.
'I grew up in south-east Asia and was taught in my earliest years to respect food and the land that it comes from. Now, I am able to put my passion into practice in the UK.'
A general view of the sprawling 925-acre Ewhurst Park, which once belonged to the Duke of Wellington
The two beavers were brought down from Scotland with the help of the Beaver Trust
Centuries before the estate was owned by the first Duke of Wellington - Arthur Wellesley - who went on to serve as Prime Minister twice
Before she bought the sprawling estate, the property was sold to American-born Michael Cohen in 2007, who is the head of the hedge fund Och-Ziff, who reportedly bought it for £12million.
He invested significant funds in the residence, building a large country house on the land, renovating its listed buildings and landscaping its expansive 18th century grounds.
Centuries before the estate was owned by the first Duke of Wellington - Arthur Wellesley - who went on to serve as Prime Minister twice.
As well as inventing the wellington boot, he ended the Napoleonic Wars when he defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.
The Ewhurst mansion house and church on the estate were rebuilt in 1872-3 by W.H. Chichele Plowden, before it was passed to the Duke.
It remained continued to be handed down through the family for years before being sold in auction in 1943.
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