What a Racket! Comedian Ricky Gervais is locked in planning row with his neighbours over plans for ‘noisy’ tennis court at £14 million London mansion

Ricky Gervais’ neighbours are not amused by his plans for a ‘noisy’ tennis court with seating for fans at his new £14 million-plus home.

The comedian has splashed out on a seven-bedroom house which boasts a cinema, bar, gym, steam room, sauna and wine cellar.

But now The Office star, 63, wants to rip up his back garden and replace it with a new permeable sports surface ‘for the occasional game of tennis’.

He has also served up plans to demolish a basketball court, waterwall, pergoda and retaining walls as part of a Ground Force-style revamp.

But the proposals have been hit by a volley of objections from neighbours, citing noise and loss of privacy and trees in the designated conservation area.

Ricky Gervais and wife Jane Fallon attend the National Television Awards 2021 at The O2 Arena on September 09, 2021 in London, England

They fear the court could also be used for five-a-side football and lead to flooding in leafy north London.

In a letter to the local council, one neighbour wrote: ‘It will not only be the ball or balls being hit or bounced before serving that will be noisy.

‘If practising, a machine firing balls over the net is even more noisy. The players will make noise when speaking or shouting to each other.

‘From time to time, there will be spectators watching, shouting and cheering.

‘There is a seating arrangement alongside our boundary fence for several spectators to be involved with the game. There is no mention of the number of seats.

‘There is no fencing around the court so there is a danger of being hit by a ball which is mis-hit. We will not have peaceful enjoyment of our garden and house while it is in use.’

Gervais’s planning agent said: ‘This new lawn has no enclosure or lighting and has been designed to be visually and acoustically screened from the neighbours.’

Officials at Barnet Council are expected to make a decision later this month.