Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright look pensive during stroll after council hit out at house plans

Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright both cut pensive figures as they headed to the shops with their dogs on Saturday.

The couple picked up some essentials after heading to their local high street in Essex following claims their plans to make their dream home into a ‘fortress’ had been heavily criticised by two local councils.

Michelle and Mark, both 33, have been in the midst of building a five-bedroom house in Essex, and it’s been claimed they are planning to secure the site with a ‘rendered wall.’

Michelle cut a laid-back figure in comfy black sportswear and an oversized padded coat as she and Mark walked their dogs on the street.

The former Coronation Street star shielded her eyes from the sun with oversized glasses as she carried her purchases home.

Mark opted for a black bodywarmer over his burgundy tracksuit as he played a tender arm around wife Michelle, who had previously been away in Manchester filming the third series of Sky One’s Brassic.

It was reported on Friday that two councils had criticised Mark and Michelle’s newest planning applications for their home, which included making the estate more secure by surrounding it with a ‘rendered wall’ between 1.8 metres and 2.1 metres high. 

Mark and Michelle have demolished a £1.3 million farmhouse to build a five-bedroom house in Essex, complete with bar, gym and outdoor swimming pool. 

Both Epping Forest District Council and Stanford Rivers Parish Council have hit out at the ‘inappropriate’ plans claiming they’re not in keeping with the tone of the ‘rural area’ and they would have to cut down trees to make way for the wall.

On one side of the property, there’s a public right of way, which would be blocked, according to the objections.

Epping Forest District Council wrote: ‘This site is in a very rural area, on a minor country lane.

‘Whilst we accept that the existing conifer screen could be considered to be incongruous within this setting, to replace it with a 2.1metre high rendered wall would be totally out of keeping, and fail to enhance the rural landscape setting. 

‘None of the other properties on this lane have such inappropriate boundary treatments.

‘Additionally, we note that the wall on the right hand side of the proposed entrance is within trees.

‘The trees and woodland are protected by a woodland tree preservation order, therefore tree reports should have been submitted to support the proposal… potentially resulting in loss or damage to important tree assets.

‘Our records also show a Public Right of Way, and a check of the Definitive Public Rights of Way map on Essex County Council website, confirms that there have been not alterations to its route.

‘To build the walls as proposed it would block access to this right of way.’

The parish council were equally scathing about the plans, stating: ‘The Parish Council OBJECTS to this application.

‘The design of the heigh walls, together with the pillars and the gates, are out of keeping with the rural setting, and would detract from the rural nature of this particular area of the Parish.

‘In addition, a public footpath currently runs through this property, and whilst we understand there may be possible applications to alter this in the future, we could not at this time support a planning application which would effectively block a public right of way.’

Both councils had no objection to them adding a wooden gate with rendered piers.

The former TOWIE star and Corrie actress have also put in an application for a Hollywood-style paver driveway with a roundabout for their fleet of cars.

They also want bi-folding doors for all the windows on the ground floor at the rear, so that the whole house opens out to the pool area and where Mark has his mini-football pitch. 

Mark Wright’s representatives branded the claims ‘nonsense’ when approached by MailOnline 

Michelle Keegan’s representatives declined to comment when approached by MailOnline.