text: Kate Winslet faces a planning battle with Natural England over plans to build sea defences . Kate Winslet is to face a battle with Natural England over plans to build a 550ft-long wall to protect her £3.25 million beachside home from flooding and erosion. The multi BAFTA-winning actress, 39, wants to install a boulder and gravel seawall along the West Sussex coast to protect her property. But Natural England has recommended the planning application be refused - citing concerns  it may result in the 'direct loss' of natural habitat designated for rare and vulnerable birds, trees and wetlands. The Academy Award-winning actress bought the eight bedroom house in West Sussex in 2013. She lives there with her husband, Richard Branson's nephew Ned Rocknroll, and her three children. But the environmental body has recommended her local District Council reject the application because of concerns over the impact it will have on the natural habitat. It is also unclear what effect the sea wall would have on a public footpath that runs along the bottom of the estate by the seashore. The shoreline is currently unprotected. The actress' Grade II-listed home backs onto a site that is a designated special protection area to safeguard wildlife living along the coast. Wildlife  include waders, geese, ducks, herons, terns and cormorants. It is also in a 'Ramsar site', according to Natural England - which are protected under Government policy as 'proposed or listed wetlands of international importance.' The application is one of a number of requests previously submitted to the council for extensive renovation work at the house including the building of an underground swimming pool, garage and pool house. The planning document states: 'The proposed privately funded sea defences will ensure that the existing vegetation and public footpath will be protected into the future. 'Furthermore it should be considered that the footpath is liable to become dangerous in areas without protection from further erosion of the existing banks.' A spokesman for Natural England said: 'Our objection centres on the fact that the application site falls within land which is protected as a Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Ramsar and Site of Special Scientific Interest. 'The proposal would result in direct loss of protected habitat and would be likely to have a significant, adverse effect on these designated sites. Winslet wants to build a sea wall along the West Sussex coast to protect her £3.25million beach house . Plans submitted to her local District Council show the proposed sea wall to protect Winslet's property . 'The application did not include any information to address the likely impacts and no mitigation was proposed. 'We will continue to liaise with the applicant about alternatives which would avoid loss of designated habitat.' A local conservation body has also submitted comments on the application and said it is concerned about the impact of a sea wall on the appearance of the area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB). Concerns have also been raised about potential erosion of a coastal path that could be caused by the defence . In a letter it said: 'We remain unconvinced of the need for this sea defence, and that its impacts on the landscape and nature conservation interests of the AONB would be acceptable.' The Conservancy has also recommended the application be refused. This is not the first time the actress has come across problems with planning applications. Winslet previously owned a £2 million home in Treyford, near Chichester. But she sold the 15th century property in 2014 following another planning spat with locals after she proposed to install gates at the entrance. The council has set aside more time for the planning application to be explored further. No date has been set for a decision.
target: Kate Winslet submitted application for a sea wall along West Sussex coast .
  She wants to build a 550ft-long sea wall to protect her home from flooding .
  But Natural England has raised concerns about environmental impact .
  It recommended her local Council refuse the planning application because of concerns wall could destroy habitat for rare birds and wetlands .