David and Victoria Beckham have triumphed in a planning dispute with their next-door neighbour over their proposal to put in air-conditioning at their new multi-million house in London.

At the end of March, the Beckhams submitted a planning request to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council to include the system in five rooms of their £31.5 million home in west London, including a luxury gym and a large wine cellar.

At this point, a neighbour lodged a complaint with the local council, arguing that the noise, pollution and dust from the construction would affect his enjoyment of his property. He was reportedly concerned that the Beckhams’ alterations would adversely affect “historic character of the Victorian house of the streets, my house included”.

David Victoria BeckhamDavid and Victoria Beckham

However, according to a report by The Telegraph, the Council have sided with the Beckhams in their decision, judging that the air-conditioning constituted only a minor alteration and that the noise from the units would fall within the borough’s criteria.

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Jonathan Bore, the executive director for planning and development for the council, is reported to have ruled: “The proposals would safeguard the special architectural and historic interest of the listed building, would preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area, would preserve the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers, and would have an acceptable impact on trees.”

The Beckhams, who have four children, moved back to Britain from Los Angeles in 2013 after David retired from professional football, his last club being the MLS outfit L.A. Galaxy. When ready, the Holland Park mansion will apparently be worth £42 million, and will include six bedrooms, a gym, an office, cinema, playroom and sizeable drawing room.

Their property empire may not be ending there, as only last week it was reported by The Sun that David and Victoria were very interested in Madonna’s former £18 million mansion in Los Angeles. It’s not the only celebrity housing planning dispute to have made the news this year.

Recently, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page won a similar planning battle with pop star neighbour Robbie Williams over the latter’s plan to excavate and extend the basement of his home.

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