Blair in street fight with next door neighbour

Blair in street fight with next door neighbour

By George Jones, Political Editor
Last Updated: 10:49am BST 24/04/2007

Tony Blair has run into a flurry of objections to the planned renovation of his home in Connaught Square, London, only weeks before he is expected to move out of No 10.

Neighbours of the Grade II listed terrace house have lodged objections about proposals for closed circuit television cameras, solar panels and a roof terrace.

Earlier this year David Cameron, the Tory leader, ran into trouble over plans to install a wind turbine on his house in north Kensington. He was ordered to take it down after the council said it had not been fixed to the chimney as planned.

Mr Blair and his wife Cherie are expected to move out of No 10 at the end of June to make way for his expected successor, Gordon Brown, and his family.

The Blairs want to extend the multi-million-pound property in the exclusive square near Hyde Park into a neighbouring mews house behind the property.

According to an application filed with Westminster city council, they also hope to install a roof terrace, solar panels and extensive CCTV. However, leaked papers to be discussed by the council's planning committee next month suggest they face opposition.

The document, sent to the Tory blogger Iain Dale, notes that objections have been raised by "an adjoining occupier on a number of design, listed building, residential amenity and structural grounds". Other concerns have been lodged over the CCTV, the solar panels and the roof terrace, according to the document.

Council officials have recommended that permission be granted despite the objections. "It is not considered that the scheme will have a significant impact on residential amenity," the officials say.

The planners claim the degree of alteration to the interior of the listed building is relatively small.

"The most significant alteration is the replacement of the library room," they say. "The library room is a modern addition of not historic or architectural quality. Its replacement with a glazed structure linking the two buildings is an improvement."

The document says the CCTV equipment will be "discreet in size, design and colour" and should not be obtrusive.

The solar panels are also approved because they are to be on the roof of the unlisted mews building and screened by a low parapet.

The Blairs are understood to have paid £800,000 for the mews house. They originally paid £3.65 million for the Connaught Square house in 2004. The planning papers are due to be officially published on Thursday before the matter is considered by a sub-committee of councillors on May 3.

Comment: Amended headline.