Homes4U: Phone entrepreneur wins approval for mega-mansion
CHAMPAGNE corks can probably still be heard popping from Phones4U founder John Caudwell’s house.
The entrepreneur has won approval for a mammoth extension to his adjacent Mayfair properties which will see Caudwell join London’s ever increasing billionaire’s basement club.
The plans will add an additional 938 square meters of space by connecting the two properties underneath the ground, creating space for essential amenities such as a swimming pool, games room, sauna and, ahem, a car elevator.
The plans were approved on Monday by a seemingly reluctant Westminster council: “The council has to make planning decisions based on its current policies, we are now consulting on changes to strengthen those policies to manage large basement developments in the city – residents have asked us to tackle this issue and that is exactly what we are doing,” Robert Davis, deputy leader of Westminster City Council told The Capitalist.
Indeed, many residents did voice issues with Caudwell’s crash pad colossus, the council received 12 letters of objection citing the usual reasons; fear of structural damage, noise pollution and the felling of a local lime tree. Sniff, sniff.