Neighbours blast Rowan Atkinson’s ’space-age’ home renovation plans
By ANIMonday, July 19, 2010
LONDON - ‘Mr. Bean’ star Rowan Atkinson has angered his neighbours with plans to transform his traditional property into a modern building.
Atkinson, 55, has submitted a planning application to demolish his country mansion in Oxfordshire and replace it with a 5 million pound modern “reinvention”.
The description in the planning application reads, “The design is a reinvention of the traditional country house. The home will add to our architectural heritage rather than parody it”.
The comedian, who bought the home in 2006, insists the planned plaster and glass design will not be “weird or futuristic” but would be “simple, graceful and elegant”.
“It would be a terrible shame if people felt that there was no place in the countryside for modern design,” the Daily Express quoted him as saying.
According to the Sun, the proposals have been met with fury from the actor’s neighbours.
“It will look like an ugly space-age petrol station. If he gets planning permission it will just go to show that he has got more money than sense,” Ben Yates, a neighbour, said.
The Chilterns Conservation Board has also described the plan as “completely inappropriate”.
Officials at South Oxfordshire District Council will make a decision over the proposal in September (10). (ANI)
