David Tennant's House Extension Gets Turned Down

Council planning committee vote against plan to add floor to his Chiswick home

Actor David Tennant's plans to extend his family home in Chiswick have been turned down by Hounslow Council's Planning Committee.

The former Dr Who and Broadchurch star previously said that he and his wife might have to sell up and leave the area if they were unable to extend their home for their growing family.

The West Chiswick and Gunnersbury Society (WCGS) had opposed their plans to build another storey onto the two-storey house, on the grounds that the street was in a Conservation area. Hounslow Council planning officials had also rejected the plan in their report.

On Thursday (December 10) councillors voted No by a majority to their design. The actor may appeal to the Planning Inspectorate if he wishes.

There was no comment available from Mr. Tennant following the decision.

Planning permission had been granted for a broadly similar scheme in 1992 but this had lapsed. The area was declared a Conservation Area in 2002.

David Tennant's design team at Zulufish Ltd, had claimed that the proposal would not detract from the character and appearance of the Thorney Hedge Conservation Area and pointed out that there were three-storey buildings on either side.

They also said specialists were available to replicate the 19th century works, and it was not feasible to have a "more modest loft conversion" as suggested by the WCGS. The family had a pressing need for more bedrooms, having recently welcomed a fourth child, and while there was "some potential" for a rear extension at ground-floor level, this would not give bedroom space.

The actor surprised the attendance at the Chiswick Area Forum last month by appearing in person to plead his case for improvements to his property. Councillors then decided to refer the decision to a full Planning Committee meeting.

"We love Chiswick, we don't want to live anywhere else. We cherish everything about the area - we want to grow old here", he said.

The local residents' group WCGS, had said that the current design would disrupt the traditional scale of other Victorian detached houses. It would be incongruous, said the chairman of the Society, Marie Rabouhans. They understood that the family needed to make some improvements to the house but felt the proposed plans would not be in keeping with the area.

December 11, 2015