Artist neighbours put the brakes on Hamilton’s plans
Vroom! Vroom! Lewis Hamilton is on a collision course with his London neighbours.
The six times Formula 1 world champion is facing an objection to a planning application he has submitted to renovate his £18 million Kensington mansion from owners of a neighbouring enclave of painters’ studios, one of which is owned by Britain’s greatest living artist David Hockney.
Hamilton, 35, wants to extend the back of the six-bedroom Victorian mansion he bought three years ago, as well as build a porch and rebuild a summer house in the 200ft garden.
However, his plans have sparked a backlash from neighbours, who have submitted a collective letter of objection to the council.
‘As the owners of these Grade IIlisted buildings and as working artists who depend on natural daylight, our working and living conditions would be seriously disturbed by the plan . . . as currently described.
‘It is also a concern that [the] studios continue to be attractive to individual artists, or art institutions, and this plan diminishes their appeal. Light is an essential condition of art.’
Hockney’s agent tells me he is in LA and does not know if he is aware of the letter. But he has owned a studio next to Hamilton’s house for the past 25 years that has inspired many of his paintings.
Three years ago he objected to plans to redevelop another of the studios, most of which are now twobedroom homes worth in excess of £2 million each. Hamilton’s plans have fuelled speculation that he may be planning to move back from monaco after he retires from racing, or is getting it souped up to sell.
The house was formerly owned by Burberry designer Christopher Bailey and before that by financier Ben Goldsmith, who lived there with his then wife Kate rothschild.
They put it on the market for £20 million in 2012 following their acrimonious divorce.
my source on the Grand Prix grid insists the artists have misconstrued Hamilton’s planning application — and that the extension will be on the other side of the house so will not affect their light. Hamilton’s architect has also made changes to the scheme to meet council requirements.
A decision from the planning department at the royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is expected in march.