Inside James Corden’s stunning new property with pool and tennis court as he knocks down £8million mansion
JAMES Corden has been given the green light to build a new property complete with pool and tennis court in place of his £8million mansion which will be torn down.
The Gavin and Stacey star’s UK home, near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, has fallen into disrepair having been left empty for two years while he hosted The Late Late Show in the US.
His Oxfordshire home includes a Grade II listed Druid’s Temple and a swimming pool.
The TV star, 44, has now been given planning permission to demolish the existing property and build a new, stunning six-bedroom mansion.
The home will be a two-storey property complete with a subterranean basement incorporating a plant room.
The new home will be even “grandeur” than before, according to planners, who say the property will be 18 per cent larger overall while the basement will increase by 11 per cent.
Inspiration taken from 18th and 19th historic houses will be used to design the gardens which will contain a walled garden used for growing fruit and vegetables, as well as cut flowers.
However, not all of Corden’s plans were approved and he had to ditch a design for a large pool house, complete with two pools, a yoga studio and a massage room, in order to get it past officials.
Wokingham Borough Council said: “The principle of the development is supported as a replacement dwelling is not inappropriate development in the Green Belt, subject to consideration of openness.
“Revisions to the scheme have resolved initial objections from Historic England and the Council’s Conservation Officer.
“There is an outstanding objection from the Gardens Trust and the Council’s Trees and Landscape Officer.
“No resident objections have been received and the proposal is recommended for approval, subject to conditions relating to ecology and landscaping conditions.
“Following discussions with the applicant’s agent in relation to unresolved tree impacts, the application no longer includes a pool house, outdoor swimming pool or a refuse store at the main entrance to the site.”
According to the plans, the ground floor contains an entrance hallway which opens off to a large internal courtyard, kitchen, living room, dining room and a breakfast room which leads onto a large terrace area with a playroom, two study areas, three bathrooms and a boot room.
There will be five en-suite bedrooms on the first floor along with the main bedroom which will have two en-suites and a balcony.
It will also have a cloakroom, a laundry and two internally facing balconies.
To be able to complete the design, the existing driveway will have to go, along with the extensive landscaping, which will create a partially-walled garden and keep the tennis courts.
As part of the planning agreement, the star has to ensure the views from the Druid’s Temple are unharmed.
The 45 granite stones arranged in a circle, which are Grade II-listed, stand in 43 acres of parkland.
The surrounding area is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including “an exceptional population of slow worm” as well grass snakes, badgers and breeding birds, such as red kites.
Not everyone is happy with the planning permission and the council’s trees officer has slammed the design as “unsympathetic and incongruous” the local area.
They said: “The use of materials does not reflect the local vernacular of the area.
“The proportions of the structure in relation to the windows and roof form does not reference classical characteristics of large country houses as found in this borough and large wooden balconies such as proposed are also not features commonly found.
“Overall, I consider the design and form of the proposed dwelling to be unsympathetic and incongruous and will detract from the character and quality of the RPG, Green Belt designation and wider landscape character.”
The architect has explained the building is similar to other buildings on the estate.
Corden has been overseas for eight years and he recently said his upcoming move back “feels absolutely right in every way”.
The existing property dates from the 1960s and has a unique curved design but has been left boarded up.
The original country home was built in 1869 and was used as a boarding school form 1948 until it was demolished for the current building in 1961.
It was then extended in 1972 and 1973 with an enclosed pool house.