Koos Bekker’s company controls 2,700 acres in Somerset, employs 650 locals as expansion sparks debate

When South African technology billionaire Koos Bekker bought Hadspen House and 16 acres of land in Somerset in 2013, the purchase marked the beginning of a much larger project. The estate, now known as The Newt in Somerset, has grown to cover more than 2,700 acres through land purchases made by Bekker’s company, according to The Guardian. The business has developed into a luxury hotel and visitor attraction, with gardens, farmland, orchards, restaurants and shops. It says it employs more than 650 people who live in or come from the local area. For some residents, the estate has brought jobs and investment. Others are uneasy about its growing reach, raising questions about land ownership, local identity and how much influence one company should have in a rural community.From manor house to destinationHadspen House is a 17th-century country house near the towns of Bruton and Castle Cary. Bekker and his wife, Karen Roos, bought the property in 2013 and began developing it as a hospitality and horticultural destination. The Newt opened to visitors in 2019, built around the historic house and its gardens.The estate presents itself as a working countryside property, with gardens, woodlan...