Top chef's fridge row shows no sign of chilling

Chef Galton Blackiston has owned the Morston Hall hotel for three decades

A renowned chef has hit back after his walk-in fridge led to a dispute with neighbours and the local council.

Galton Blackiston, who owns Morston Hall hotel, near Blakeney in Norfolk, said he was baffled by the row over the chiller, which is erected outside of his kitchen.

He is now trying to keep it after North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) refused retrospective planning permission for the structure, on the basis it harmed the character of the historic 17th-Century venue and would disturb neighbours due to the noise it produced.

Mr Blackiston has appealed to the Planning Inspectorate – the government department that presides over planning disputes – to overturn the decision.

Relations cool

The fridge situated in an open outhouse at Morston Hall Hotel is the cause of a planning dispute

The Norfolk-born chef, who has held a Michelin star for more than two decades, believed the complaints were unjustified.

The outdoor chiller was installed in February 2023 and seven months later a complaint was made to the council.

NNDC planning officers later refused his bid to keep it, arguing the structure harmed the locally listed building – a designation the council bestowed upon the hall in 2019 due to its “aesthetic value”.

Morston Hall is not nationally listed by Historic England, which means planning permission is not required for any alteration to the property, but the local council can use the ‘locally designated’ status to inform planning decisions.

However, Mr Blackiston, who has owned the venue for 32 years, said he was not informed of this change.

“I had no idea it was a listed building until this matter arose and it came as a massive surprise."

Mr Blackiston has also been left baffled by the objections from his neighbours, who complained about the noise and the loss of their view of Morston village, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“I am led to believe the neighbours only live there 3-4 weeks a year and use it as a holiday home," he said.

“Another complaint was that it blocks their view of Morston but this seems a bit odd as the only thing the fridge blocks is the view across our car park."

Mr Blackiston also insisted the fridge was "absolutely the quietest chiller" on the market.

"The last thing we would want is something loud that interrupts our guests," he said.

North Norfolk District Council said in a statement: "Morston Hall is a locally listed building set within the Morston conservation area, and the council decided that the structure was inappropriate given this setting.

"In addition, the walk-in fridge was considered to exceed acceptable noise limits and therefore to have a harmful impact on amenity."

The Planning Inspectorate appeal decision is expected in six months time.