Key facts
- The 15th-century cottage 'Hiawatha' in Swanmore, Hampshire, is slated for demolition.
- It will be replaced by two modern four-bedroom houses.
- A planning inspector overturned a local council's decision to preserve the historic property.
- The previous owners sold the cottage with the condition it remain a single-family home.
This case highlights the tension between preserving historic properties and the demand for new housing developments. Despite conditions set by previous owners, planning authorities have allowed the demolition of a centuries-old cottage to make way for modern homes, indicating a potential shift in priorities or interpretation of planning laws.