Darcey tears down all but one wall in quest for a dream home
DARCeY Bussell has demolished her £3million home to leave just the facade standing.
The single wall is the only remnant of the 1920 home which is making way for an elaborate new mansion to be built behind it.
But as the Strictly Come Dancing judge unveiled the lavish designs, neighbours in the exclusive South-West London enclave have been less than impressed.
The former prima ballerina, 49, has faced objections that such ‘soulless shells’ would detract from the historic character of the area. Initial plans were rejected in 2016 but Miss Bussell and her husband Angus Forbes, an Australian hedge fund manager, have now been able to push on with their project.
Demolition work has been underway for around a year and the property will eventually be worth about £5million.
The new three-storey home with four bedrooms will boast a stateof-the-art kitchen and dining area as well as a living area overlooking the garden. The couple moved to the original house in 2014 with daughters Phoebe, 17, and Zoe, 14.
They are said to be renting nearby while waiting for the work to be finished at a date yet to be confirmed. The facade escaped as the house is in a conservation area and must fit in with other homes which regularly sell for £4million-plus.
Miss Bussell and her husband are also believed to own a chateau in France run by her half-brother James, an architect, who is helping to design her new London home.