Is Burton giving his £11m des res a fancy facelift for a Bond girl?

QUIRKY Hollywood director Tim Burton used to live in inter-connecting houses with Helena Bonham Carter, each decorated to their own his ’n’ hers tastes and personal styles.

Though now separated from the celebrated actress, Burton is apparently planning to imitate the unusual domestic arrangements at his new £11million mansion (above) in another fashionable corner of North London.

It is thought these alterations could be with a view to entertaining his rumoured new muse, the French actress Eva Green, 39, (right) who played Bond girl Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale.

I can disclose that the 60-yearold director of Edward Scissorhands and Batman has applied to make a series of eye-catching changes to the fivebedroom house he bought from Shirley Valentine star Tom Conti at the end of last year.

Burton, who has already covered the house with scaffolding, wants to demolish a two-storey side extension and replace it with what’s described by the architect as ‘a caretaker’s flat’ in the plans lodged with the local council.

Just like Helena’s property, it will be linked to his own and contain a kitchen, living room and terrace. His architect, Andrew Greig, tells me: ‘We are hoping to start work in September and are optimistic the plans will go through.’ Burton, who has two children with Helena, also wants to knock down the boundary wall and replace it with a higher one, as well as construct a new conservatory at the back of the house and install a Victorian spiral staircase. Former owner Conti will no doubt be delighted that Burton plans to maintain the groundfloor ballroom, where such luminaries as Hollywood star Rod Steiger, rock legend David Bowie and classical conductor Sir Georg Solti have attended parties over the years. He will also keep the minstrels’ gallery.

The house remains so close to the heart of Scots-born Conti — who bought it for £770,000 in 1985 — that he does not wish to hear about Burton’s ‘improvements’.

Conti tells me: ‘All I can say is that I’m extremely sentimental about the house. Therefore, I want to know nothing about any plans.’