The Prime Minister’s brother has won a planning row over his £3million five-bedroom north London townhouse.
Lord Jo Johnson, who was controversially ennobled by his big brother in July, had argued that a plans for a ground floor studio flat with a roof terrace overlooking his Primrose Hill home would invade his privacy.
A planning application was registered by Camden Council on June 26, proposing to build the studio flat with first floor roof terrace, raise the front and rear walls and construct a single storey ground floor rear extension.
Metal railings, two bike parking spaces in the front garden, a timber gate to the side and a new opening and door on the first floor side would also have been constructed.
The PM’s younger brother, 49, had urged planning bosses to block the proposal, claiming the terrace would allow people to look into the top floors of his home, which is spread over four storeys.
The plans would have also impacted on a Grade II listed building, it was argued.
Local planning chiefs agreed, and have now rejected the planning application, arguing that the proposed alterations would, ‘by reason of their location, form and design… be harmful to the character and appearance of the listed building’.
The flat roof of the house where Jo Johnson’s neighbour had planned to build a roof terrace (area highlighted in red). Jo Johnson had claimed it would create an ‘unacceptable area of overlooking’ onto his property
Jo Johnson’s house and, on the left, the flat roof of his neighbour’s home. An application was made by a property developer to convert the disused and derelict office into a new ground-floor studio flat with a roof terrace above
Camden Council planners concluded: ‘In the absence of a sectional drawing of the proposed wet room, the proposal is also considered likely to result in a loss of significant historic fabric.’
The announcement is cause to celebrate for Lord Johnson, a former Tory MP who served under his brother as universities minister before resigning over Brexit.
The Prime Minister pictured with his brother Jo, right, in 2014 at Dartmouth House in London
He objected to the application when it was first lodged in July, arguing a new roof terrace next door would allow people to stare into his home near Mornington Crescent tube station.
At the time, Andy Hollins, a consultant chartered planner representing Lord Johnson, stated: ‘The proposed first floor roof terrace will create an unacceptable degree of overlooking towards upper floor habitable windows in my clients property.
‘The applicant proposes to erect a privacy wall.
‘This will reduce some overlooking.
‘However, occupants using the terrace can still look back over the wall and towards my client’s windows, particularly as the proposed wall incorporates a raised planter.
‘This could be used as a platform.’
Mr Hollins also highlighted that the plans would impact on a Grade II listed building.
He wrote: ‘The proposed portico surround competes with the original side door which in turn detracts from the special historic character of the listed building.
The flat roof of Mr Johnson’s neighbour’s house. Local planning chiefs have now rejected the application, arguing that the proposed alterations and frontage treatment, ‘ by reason of their location, form and design, would be harmful to the character and appearance of the listed building’
The flat roof of the house, pictured above, in upmarket Primrose Hill, north London. Camden Council planners concluded: ‘In the absence of a sectional drawing of the proposed wet room, the proposal is also considered likely to result in a loss of significant historic fabric’
‘The roof terrace should also be resisted.
‘The provision of planting at first floor level, outdoor furniture and its use by the occupants of the proposed dwelling would also detract from the special historic character of the property.’
At the time another resident had objected, saying the new maisonette could be used for temporary Airbnb rentals or short-term holiday lets that would cause disruption in the plush area.
She said: ‘If my concerns that the flat is to be used for short term holiday lets is realised this could cause ongoing repeated disruption to the permanent residents.
‘There is outside space in the development, to have two outside spaces in such a tiny flat seems odd especially given the negative impact on the street.’
Remainer Lord Johnson stood down as the MP for Orpington in south east London over his brother’s Brexit tactics, saying at the time he was ‘torn between family loyalty and the national interest’.
He had only returned to the Conservative front benches two months earlier, after quitting Theresa May’s government over her proposed Brexit deal in 2018.
Lord Johnson, who is married to award-winning The Guardian journalist Amelia Gentleman, has since returned to work as a journalist including writing columns for the Financial Times, where he was said to have earned around £1,000 for two hours work.