RESIDENTS in Ramsdell have reacted to the news that the country estate on their doorstep has been bought by Dior model Mandy Lieu - and most agree that a change of ownership would be a positive thing for the villagers.

The Malaysian model is set to become one of Basingstoke and Deane’s largest landowners after purchasing the former seat of the Duke of Wellington, according to the Times.

Mandy Lieu reportedly paid £28 million for Ewhurst Park estate, located just outside Ramsdell, which was owned by the Dukes of Wellington from 1817 until 1943.

35-year-old Lieu said that she plans to turn the estate into an eco-farm, as well as introducing holiday lets, planting a ‘micro-forest’ and establishing a retreat for families affected by motor neurone disease.

It was previously sold to Michael Leslie Cohen in 2007 - who made changes that divided the opinion of local residents.

Basingstoke Gazette:

The estate spans 925 acres of private land, with a number of people (and sheep) living on it

Danny McGrath, 74, moved to the village in 1963 and spent more than 20 years working for a local farmer. He said: “I will be happy with anyone that will involve the village - you never see them anyway, you’d be lucky to see them just out walking their dog!

“It will be nothing to do with her, to be honest, it will be her management. If she comes it will be like the royal family is visiting, with all the cars - it would be quite exciting.”

Mr McGrath said he was on a walk with his wife in the area one time and was stopped by security and told he couldn’t go any further.

He said: “The previous owner made alterations, such as blocking off the lake, which I didn’t like. If the new owner put any other restrictions on the villagers, that is what I wouldn’t like. It would be good if they were a bit more relaxed and thought of the villagers a bit more.

“I may be wrong, but it seemed [the previous owner] had his own cronies down from the cities, and gave no thought to the local villagers. I am sure he had his reasons but if they are not there and present, and they put restrictions [in place] it seems like ‘I am the big wealthy landowner’.

“They moved lots of the people who lived there. Andrew Lloyd Webber did the same at Kingsclere [Sydmonton estate]. I have been here a long time, and have even worked on the land, and I have never seen Andrew Lloyd Webber!”

Speaking of Lady Carnarvon of nearby Highclere Castle, he said: “Everybody likes her, because she has opened up to the general public.

“It would be a shame if [Ewhurst Park] is fenced off and we can’t access it.”

Julian Pearse, 79, agreed, saying: “It will be good if she is going to keep it fairly rural, and as long as she doesn’t turn it into a housing estate. The thing with that estate is that an awful lot goes on amongst the housing.

“We used to be able to walk through, by the lake, quite freely but unfortunately now there is only a little footpath. I am not a fisherman, but people used to go and fish the lake as well. You used to be able to drive right along the road at the other side of the lake.

“You can still walk along the designated footpath, but there is fencing either side whereas before it was all open. I would like if they might open it up a little bit.”

Basingstoke Gazette:

The estate is situated near Ramsdell village

Another resident, who hadn’t heard about the sale yet, said: “Currently, there are signs up and cameras everywhere. They are daunting and can put people off.”

They did, however, express caution about Mandy Lieu’s plans for holiday lets on the estate.

“I would be a bit careful about holiday lets because it's more a hamlet than a village. There are no facilities so it doesn’t help us and puts on extra pressure.”

However, another resident felt the previous owner had done very good things for the estate. He said: “I think the place is amazing as it is. It has had a fantastic chap who revolutionised the place, planting lots of trees and things.

“I am hugely happy that it stays as a lovely country estate.”

The resident has visited the site to sell poppies to the people living there in previous years, and has been trying to find out who had bought the estate for a while, but says it’s all been very “hush hush”.

“I think any human would still allow people to go in to sell things like poppies,” he said.

Paul Grant, 50, added: “There will definitely be excitement if they plan on doing something involving natural solutions, because that is definitely popular in the area.”

Another resident agreed, saying: “It seems the right thing to do at the moment.”

He added: “It is a nice place, so more access would be nice. If there was room to walk across, that would be good.”