THE future of a problem farm on Sudeley Castle's estate could be solved as castle chatelaine Lady Elizabeth Ashcombe wants to use it as a retirement home for herself.

The farm buildings at Almsbury could also be used for commercial development, possibly assisted housing for local elderly people.

As yet, no concrete plans have been registered with Tewkesbury Borough Council, but Lady Ashcombe said the idea has been discussed with planning officers.

Almsbury Farm has had a chequered planning history over the past eight years.

Plans for the site, which was hit by a fire in 2003, have included turning it into a shopping centre, which prompted 800 letters of protest from Winchcombe residents, a visitor centre, which also caused controversy, and more recently a business centre, including 24 work units.

That plan was put on hold for a visit by the planning committee back in January but the application has since been withdrawn.

The latest plan for retirement homes was revealed by Lady Ashcombe in an interview on Radio Winchcombe.

"My plan is now to use Almsbury Farm as my retirement home," she said. "It's a charming house and we may look at developing the other buildings for commercial housing. The estate needs to do that to pay for what we put into it."

She said a developer had already expressed interest in the site.

Lady Ashcombe is planning to leave the castle to her children Henry and Mollie Dent-Brocklehurst.

Henry is best friend of model and actress Liz Hurley, who recently wed businessman Arun Nayar at Sudeley Castle.

That also caused some controversy among Winchcombe residents when strict road and footpath closures were imposed.

Winchcombe Radio spokesman Mike Rafferty said the community-based station could prove instrumental in building bridges between the castle and residents.