Benedict Cumberbatch sparks fury among London neighbours

Benedict Cumberbatch has upset his neighbours after applying for planning permission to build a giant shed with a flower clad roof in his back garden.

The 41-year-old Sherlock actor snapped up a five-bed Victorian villa in Camden, north London, for £2.7m in April 2015 – but has still not moved in.

He has now faced a backlash over plans for a 20ft x 8ft shed in the garden with neighbours labelling it a ‘massive over-development on the urban equivalent of the Green Belt’.

Benedict Cumberbatch, pictured with his wife Sophie Hunter, has upset his neighbours over a planning application

The 41-year-old actor snapped up a five-bed Victorian villa in Camden, north London , for £2.7m in April 2015 - but has still not moved in

The 41-year-old actor snapped up a five-bed Victorian villa in Camden, north London , for £2.7m in April 2015 – but has still not moved in

Plans submitted to Camden Council state that the shed – which locals say it so big it is ‘more like a pavilion’ – will be ‘6.25m wide’ and ‘2.5m deep’ – and just under 10ft high – covering an area of 15 square metres, which is 160 square feet.

The plans, submitted on the actor’s behalf by Doyle Town Planning & Urban Design, state: ‘The development comprises a new rear garden shed.

‘The shed will be 6.25m wide and 2.5m deep and cover an area of 15 square metres.

‘The shed will be build upon slightly sloping ground and will rise up some 2.75m to 2.95m above ground level.’

It states that the shed will be ‘clad in timber and overlaid with a timber trellis to the front and sides…which will support climbing plants’.

The plans also states that ‘the roof will be a planted green roof’ – used sedum, a flowering plant – which plans say will help ‘blend the structure into its surroundings’.

Sedum is often used to clad roofs, and has around 500 species, which have five petals and ‘water storing leaves’.

Plans submitted to Camden Council state that the shed in the garden (pictured) will be '6.25m wide' and '2.5m deep' - and just under 10ft high

Plans submitted to Camden Council state that the shed in the garden (pictured) will be ‘6.25m wide’ and ‘2.5m deep’ – and just under 10ft high

The actor last year submitted planning documents in which he outlines plans for a boiler/plant room in the front garden (shown right, above)

The actor last year submitted planning documents in which he outlines plans for a boiler/plant room in the front garden (shown right, above)

The plans state: ‘The preferred approach is a extensive green roof with shallow growing medium (less than 100mm) topped with Sedum mats or plug planted Sedum into a porous crushed brick material.

‘Sedum is a type of vegetation of generally short plants with shallow roots and thick leaves. The roof will be relatively lightweight and demand low levels of maintenance.

‘A conventional green sedum roof may not thrive across the whole area of the roof, because it is partly under a beech tree and there is less direct sunlight.

‘In this case the sedum will be considered as a successional stage that will lead in time to a more biodiverse roof.

‘Bare areas will be left to naturally regenerate with sedum or other naturally colonising vegetation such as grasses.’

The plans say that the shed would be ‘partially screened’ by existing timber trellises and that there was ‘no issue of privacy or overlooking expected to arise’.

The Dartmouth Park Conservation Area Advisory Committee, however, has opposed the plans, saying the structure is ‘too big’ to be called a ‘shed’.

A spokesman said: ‘This ‘shed’ is in fact a large construction across almost the entire width of the property at the bottom of the garden.

‘It protrudes above the boundary wall. It has timber-glazed windows across the wall facing the garden, suggesting it could have many uses as an extension to the main building.’

Planning documents show the make up of the property which includes five bedrooms, a reception area, living room and large garden

Planning documents show the make up of the property which includes five bedrooms, a reception area, living room and large garden

The actor bought the house after the death of solicitor Judy Walker, who died last year and was renowned for holding Bonfire Night parties

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said the proposed shed was actually a ‘large pavilion’, adding: ‘There are strict policies regarding the loss of open space, either private or public, and this is not a small wooden shed that could be put up or taken down in a day.

‘It is a permanent building on green space which rightly enjoys protection.

‘It is massive over-development on what is essentially protected green land – the urban equivalent of the Green Belt.

‘Can you imagine if everyone did this? It would set a very poor precedent for ensuring what little greenery we have in London is protected.’

Another neighbour said: ‘We’ve put up with his building project for the best part of two years now. It is dragging on and on.

‘Why can’t he just go to B&Q, get a little pre-pack number and knock it up himself on a Sunday afternoon? What on earth does he need yet more room for?’

Last year, the actor won planning permission to convert the attic into another bedroom, build a new balcony on the upper ‘ground four level’ and also install a ‘plant room’ – complete with boiler – at the front of his semi-detached home.

He was also granted permission for a rear extension to the property.

Despite worries of a ‘noisy boiler’ and that the actor could see into neighbour’s gardens and homes from his balcony, permission was given by council planners last year.

Michael Doyle, from Doyle Town Planning & Urban Design, said he was not able to comment on the plans. 

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