Tycoon wants a garden for his £200m home ... right in the middle of the road!
ProPerty tycoon Christian Candy has angered neighbours with his proposal to build a private garden for his £200million home – in the middle of the road.
residents claim the multi-millionaire’s £26.5million plan to transform one lane of the road next to his 15-bedroom London property would put pedestrians and motorists at risk. they say that if the plans go ahead, it will lead to gridlock, increase air pollution and reduce the number of parking spaces.
Mr Candy, 42, and his brother Nick – who is married to former pop star Holly Valance – are known for their colourful lifestyle and controversial financial affairs. together they created the ultra-exclusive one Hyde Park complex – known as ‘the world’s best address’.
the father of three’s plans for the ‘historic garden’ at his house on the corner of Cambridge terrace and Chester Gate in regent’s Park are based on the original design by architect John Nash. Mr Candy’s team have supplied a survey from 1834 that claims to prove ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ that the garden was part of the original layout by the Buckingham Palace architect. the Crown
‘Put pedestrians and motorists at risk’
estate Paving Commission also stated it believed the original garden existed.
Despite multiple complaints from residents, Camden Council has recommended the plan for the 200ft stretch of road – for which Mr Candy owns a 150-year lease – is given the go ahead, with a final decision on September 8.
Sir Colin Blakemore, a leading neuroscientist who lives nearby, said: ‘All the disadvantages of the proposed development would fall on the general public, while all the benefits would be enjoyed only by a single household.’
Last night a spokesman for Mr Candy said: ‘the plans to restore 6-10 Cambridge terrace include turning an area of private road ... into a garden, which will be visible from the street.
‘[It] will be true to the original intended purpose of the land as recorded on ... maps dating back to the 1830s. the gardens will...add to the aesthetic of Cambridge terrace.
‘We have conducted traffic surveys...and the restoration will not lead to congestion. We also intend on replacing all lost parking spaces. this redevelopment plans to create three new residences from what were previously offices. this is not a “mega mansion” being developed for the use of one beneficiary.’