One of the most expensive streets in Britain has been turned into a construction site with seven properties currently undergoing building work.
Multi-million properties on Ilchester Place, situated in the celebrity enclave of Holland Park, west London, are covered in scaffolding, and some have been almost completely demolished for renovations.
The street has been dubbed ‘Millionaires Row’, which was crowned the UK’s priciest road in 2019, according to Lloyds Bank, before being usurped by Avenue Road in the north-west of the capital last year.
But the works on several of the mega mansions by the wealthy owners has sparked fury among local residents, including Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, whose historic Grade I listed house backs onto the street.
After fighting a seven-year planning row with next-door neighbour Robbie Williams, having argued the vibrations from Williams’ ‘super basement’ would destroy his ‘richly decorated’ home, the musician is now surrounded by building work – and he’s written two complaints to Kensington and Chelsea Borough council.
One of the properties being developed is that of ‘Candy Crush inventor’ Riccardo Zacconi, who purchased a detached nine bedroom, nine bathroom home, for £30 million in April 2019.
Despite the hefty price tag, Zacconi, co-founder of King, which developed the addictive mobile phone game, has demolished the property, retaining only the outer shell, and has planning permission for a basement with various other extensions.
Elsewhere on the street, ‘Shock Jock’ French producer and presenter Arthur Essebag – whose company Satisfaction Group recently acquired Sony Pictures France – owns a property and has just completed a basement extension.
Britain’s most expensive street has been turned into a giant construction site, much to the annoyance of Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page’s next-door neighbour is Robbie Williams and there are a number of other wealthy homeowners on the street
After a seven-year planning row with next-door neighbour Robbie Williams, right, the musician, left, is now surrounded by building work – and he’s made it clear he’s not happy about it with two long written complaints
The street houses 24 exclusive properties, worth a combined £1 billion, where there are seven demolition and renovation projects
Jimmy Page’s Tower House, left, and Robbie Williams’s house, hidden by trees on Ilchester Place in west London
The Led Zeppelin guitarist had roof work done on his property in September 2016 and using a firm with the same name as one of Williams’s biggest hits, Millennium
Page’s historic Grade I listed house, considered one of London’s most important homes, backs onto the street and he’s fuming at all the building work
‘Candy Crush inventor’ Riccardo Zacconi, left, and ‘Shock Jock’ producer and presenter Arthur Essebag, right, also own properties on the exclusive streat
The owners at No 16 have plans for a single-storey basement underneath the house and garden, which backs onto Page’s property named Tower House, dating back to 1875
One of the properties has been demolished, retaining only the outer shell, and has planning permission for a basement with various other extensions
Both No 9, left, and No 10, right, are in the midst of the posh street’s two biggest projects having completely razed the properties, keeping only the facade
Away from the building drama of Ilchester Place, Page and the former Take That singer have been at loggerheads since Williams bought the adjacent Grade II-listed house, pictured behind trees, for £17.5 million 2013
In 2018, Williams finally got the green light to go ahead with a ‘super-basement’, which includes an indoor pool, gym and underground passageway to the main house
Ilchester Place is situated in the celebrity enclave of Holland Park, west London, and is dubbed ‘Millionaires Row’, which was crowned the UK’s priciest road in 2019, according to Lloyds Bank
Meanwhile, the owners at No 16 have plans for a single-storey basement underneath the house and garden, which backs onto his property named Tower House, dating back to 1875.
It was approved in June this year despite two letters of objection – ten-page and six-pages long – from Page, who states that he was never consulted at any stage of No 16’s development and complained about ‘inadequate plans, spoil removal, assessment of noise, vibration and dust, and movement’.
Both No 9 and No 10 are in the midst of the posh street’s two biggest projects having completely razed the properties, keeping only the facade.
According to the planning application, No 9 is a ‘re-construction to include extensions at ground and first floor levels and rooflights, single-storey basement extension with front and rear lightwells, [and] re-orientation of swimming pool.’ It’s a similar story for No 10.
Meanwhile, at No 7, developments are just beginning with the intention of an ‘extension of basement at front and rear’, a first floor extension and new conservatory.
And, finally, No 17 had planning permission granted in July last year for the ‘replacement of a rear conservatory to improve thermal and acoustic properties.’
Away from the building drama of Ilchester Place, Page and the former Take That singer have been at loggerheads since Williams bought the adjacent Grade II-listed house for £17.5 million 2013.
In 2018, Williams finally got the green light to go ahead with a ‘super-basement’, which includes an indoor pool, gym and underground passageway to the main house.
Page had argued that the vibrations would destroy his ‘richly decorated’ home, with fragile ancient paintings and frescoes.
He has repeatedly complained about his neighbour’s planning applications for trying to add mod-cons such as a summer terrace and music studio.