Robbie Williams accused of ‘environmental vandalism’ in £17.5m home amid ongoing feud with Led Zeppelin neighbour
16 June 2023, 16:54 | Updated: 16 June 2023, 17:22
Robbie Williams has been accused of ‘environmental vandalism’ amid plans to prune his garden despite ongoing tensions with his rock star neighbour.
The former Take That Star moved into the Holland Park home in 2013, residing next to Led Zeppelin musician Jimmy Page, 79, but has found himself in the heat of opposition from some neighbours over planned garden work.
Robbie Williams, 49, reportedly wants to cut back 14 plants in the garden of his £17.5m mansion, as he has claimed they block the light to his home.
The band frontman reportedly sought permission from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to make the changes, with planners scheduled to visit his home soon to make a decision, The Sun reported.
But the plans have been met with anger from surrounding neighbours, as one said in a letter: “Hello there, I think these trees should be left as chopping down healthy trees is an act of environmental vandalism.
“Shame on anyone wanting to destroy our leafy friends. They give us life - we should respect theirs.”
It’s not the first time Robbie has faced pushback from neighbours either.
Earlier this year Robbie and neighbour Jimmy Page clashed over the singer’s plans to build an underground swimming pool and gym in February.
Initially the plans were approved by Kensington and Chelsea council, but faced opposition after he was told the plans would require an application for the deeds of his property to be legally changed beforehand.
Jimmy Page knocked back the plans as he claimed the vibrations from the work posed a threat to his Grade I listed property. He claimed the work could damage the ancient pantings and frescoes of his home, which he has lived in since 1972, The Sun reported.
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Reports since Robbie moved into the home have suggested the pair have been at loggerheads over the last eight years.
In November, Robbie allegedly wanted to cut down a number of trees bordering close to the shared fence with neighbour Jimmy, despite previous run-ins with him making it a risky decision.
While the plans never amounted to reignited tension, he did have a number of the requests rejected by his local council to cut down some of the trees.
Since moving into the London home in 2013, Robbie had applied for planning permission on 46 separate occasions in ongoing efforts to renovate the mansion.
The singer previously attempted to have a ‘shed on stilts’ built for his children in the garden as a play area but the plans angered surrounding neighbours, as they feared it would block the light in their own homes.
Robbie also told a Radio DJ that Jimmy had been sitting in the car outside his home for “four hours at a time” during one of the times he was having work done on his home to ensure the workmen didn't make too much noise, and the boyband member accused him of “mental illness”.
He had to issue an apology to the guitarist afterwards.
Reports suggest the feud started between the pair when Robbie wanted to build a pool but had plans opposed by his neighbour – although the opposition was ultimately overruled.
