THE owner of poet William Wordsworth’s former home is facing legal action from West Somerset Council.

Property entrepreneur Grahame Bond, who also owns Halswell House in Goathurst, could be prosecuted by the authority for the unauthorised change of use of Holford’s Alfoxton Park from hotel use to a ‘House in Multiple Occupation’ (HMO).

On May 28, members of the council’s planning committee resolved to allow the planning manager to authorise formal enforcement action and legal proceedings to stop the property being used ‘as a house in multiple occupancy’.

The report before councillors says problems were discovered by planning officials who have made a number of visits to the property since January this year.

The report states that the change of use “represents unacceptable development in the countryside, adversely affects traffic flow and has an impact on the local economy.”

It adds that the matter came to light when Mr Bond applied for a change of use from hotel to a single home and that the property was being used to house migrant workers employed by Mr Bond.

The report also states that as part of a continuing correspondence with Mr Bond, the council received a letter from his architects who agreed the property was in use as an HMO, claiming it had happened accidentally and that Mr Bond was keen to remedy the situation and resolve the breach of planning control.

Mr Bond was unavailable for comment as the County Gazette went to press.

William Wordsworth, who lived from 1770-1850, was one of England’s most influential poets.