Fed up residents angry over plans for 500 homes on nearby land have taken the unusual step of applying to turn the aristocrat landowner's London mansion into a sheep museum.

The residents from Halebank said they have submitted a change of use application with Westminster Council to transform the Porchester Terrace home of wealthy socialite Catherine Hesketh into a rare breed heritage centre, complete with a pen for shearing demonstrations and a rooftop sheep statue.

Catherine Hesketh, whose circle of friends has included King Charles and US artist Andy Warhol, is part of the Fleetwood Hesketh family - which has extensive land holdings, including thousands of acres close to Halebank.

The move comes after controversial plans for 500 houses by developer Harworth Groupon on former greenbelt land on the edge of Halebank were narrowly approved earlier this year, with the planning committee’s chair having to break a deadlocked vote of four in favour and four against.

CGI of what Catherine Hesketh's home could look like if the residents succeed. CGI of what Catherine Hesketh's home could look like if the residents succeed. (Image: Submitted)

The Halebank group's new application to Westminster Council, states: "We wish to launch an exciting new venture (which I am hopeful will be seen as quite a coup for Westminster City Council) as a captivating celebration of our ovine brothers and sisters."

The application to transform the four-storey town house near Hyde Park is unlikely to succeed, but has been undertaken to try and force a dialogue, campaigners said.

Parish Councillor, John Anderton, a member of the Friends of Halebank campaign group, said:

"The community is not opposed to new housing to meet local needs, but these plans would literally double the size of a village that has limited infrastructure and very poor road connectivity to the rest of Halton Borough.

"The community has reached out to Catherine Hesketh and the family for dialogue to see whether we can find a reasonable and mutually agreeable compromise, but we have been completely ignored."

Friends of Halebank, spokesman, Terry Colquitt, added: "It’s a shame that it has come to this, but maybe she will now understand what it’s like for someone living 200 miles away to submit a planning application that could dramatically change the place you call home."

The group said the decision to submit plans for a heritage centre for rare breed sheep reflects the 'devastating effect' the development will have on local farming businesses, including that of Sandra Lawson, who raises rare breed sheep on a smallholding that will be completely surrounded by the new housing.

She said: "This development will make it impossible for me to carry on my business, but it is also taking out an enormous chunk of the last bit of open countryside on this side of the Mersey Estuary."

A representative of Catherine Hesketh's estate declined to comment.