SIMON Cowell has been given the green light to turn his historic £15.25 million London mansion into his dream modern home.
The music mogul, 60, wants to add expensive mod cons including a 15-metre outdoor pool with its own pool house and bar to his listed seven-bedroom property in south-west London.
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The X Factor judge bought the stunning 18th century house in October 2018 and left his home in west London behind where his neighbours included Robbie Williams and David Beckham.
Simon was left shaken when the house was broken into while he, girlfriend Lauren Silverman and son Eric slept back in 2015.
It’s also thought he wanted to move out to the suburbs to be closer to some of the country’s best private schools for six-year-old Eric.
And now the council have given him permission transform the historic home into a house that meets the “modern requirements of the family”.
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As well as the pool, Simon is also adding state-of-the art security, underfloor heating and air conditioning.
Other elements of the redesign have been included to optimise the X Factor judge’s privacy.
Plans say he will extend his existing sunroom and add a “glazed conservation lantern” roof to “allow the owner to enjoy sunshine throughout the year in a private position”.
He is also improving the surrounding grounds with a timber pergola to “create a visual interest and to assist with growing plants to enhance the character of this external space”.
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Security-conscious Simon is also upgrading the lighting and security cameras in the house.
And he’ll add three new vehicle gates, which include “new retractable bollards repositioned to the centre of the gates”.
But one thing to remain, which is attached to the outer wall – the village Victorian post box, which is still in use today.
Speaking about the break-in at his Holland Park home, which saw jewellery and cash raided from a safe, Simon said: “It was nerve-racking.
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“Lauren was woken up with me and we checked on Eric. That was the first thing we did, to make sure he was OK.
“Apart from the fact someone broke into my house and stole my stuff, which is scary, it could have been worse. Thankfully no one was hurt.”
Referring to his two Yorkshire terriers, he added: “But we have the worst guard dogs in the world.”