A COUNCILLOR made "irreversible" changes to her listed home stripping it of its historic importance whilst chairing a planning committee.

Former chairwoman of Wealden District Council's planning committee Barby Dashwood-Morris (CORR) made illicit changes to her 14th century Grade II listed home in Hellingly - whilst dishing out rulings on how other people could change their homes.

Dashwood-Morris, 70, and her partner Alan Proudfoot, 54, created a grand entrance hall with a glass staircase that caused a "substantial erosion to the historic details" of the house, Brighton Magistrates' Court was told yesterday.

The Conservative former chair of the council allowed a property expert Sarah Beeny to film inside her 14th century home an an example of a sympathetic restoration.

But she has now admitted not getting proper permission to carry out the repairs and destroying rare historic features in the house - thought to be worth around £850,000

Dashwood-Morris pleaded guilty to six counts of making alterations without listed building consent and Proudfoot to four similar charges.

Prosecutors for Wealden district council planning department told the court the pair's renovations had also resulted in a priest hole-a hiding place build during the Elizabethan persecution of Catholics - being removed.

Saira Kabir Sheikh QC prosecuting said: "These works cause substantial harm which cannot be rectified.

"Barby Dashwood-Morris was a member of the parish council from 2003, elected to Wealden District Council in 2007 and a member and chair of the planning committee.

"If she was not initially aware listed building consent was needed she must have become aware by chairing that committee."

"It is accepted by the defendants that the works affected the character of the building

The unauthorised works were discovered when Dashwood-Morris and Proudfoot put the house up for sale in 2011. When the prospective buyer ordered a survey conservation officers noticed the alterations.

Ms Kabir Sheikh said that archaeologist Maggie Henderson had been instructed to conduct a detailed assessment of the house.

Ms Henderson said "Renovations were substantial and harmful; to the historic detail.

"The works affected the character of a building of special architectural interest."

The 14th century building had been extended in the 18th century to create a "hierarchical entrance" for staff - which was an important feature showing the social history of the time.

Ms Henderson found that the grand double height entrance hall with glass stairway build by Dashwood Morris had significantly altered that historic feature.

The court was told the couple had spent £300,000 on repairs to the property before accepting an offer of more than £560,000. They shelled out a further £70,000 on their defence team and the council is seeking to recoup the £80,000 they spent bringing the case,

Stephen Whale defending said: "There was certainly no intention to commit offences and neither were they reckless.

"These defendants purchased the property in 1997 in poor condition and conducted a full structural survey and asked to meet with local conservation experts in site within weeks.

"What happened is when building works unfolded they uncovered other issues they needed to address.

In a statement to the court Dashwood-Morris said: "We strongly believed at the time these works were authorised or didn't require authorisation."