I’m a Channel 4 star and I can’t wear a bikini in my garden – my ‘nightmare neighbour could spy on me from his balcony’
A CHANNEL 4 star claims she can’t relax and wear a bikini in her garden due to fears her neighbour could spy on her from his balcony.
Celia Sawyer, a celebrity interior designer dubbed “Mrs Bling”, is embroiled in a bitter privacy row with her male neighbour.
She has accused Neil Kennedy of breaching planning rules at his swanky home overlooking Poole Harbour in affluent Sandbanks, Dorset.
Celia, who stars in Channel 4’s Four Rooms, and her husband Nick didn’t object to Mr Kennedy’s plans to rip down a £2million bungalow next to their home.
He planned to replace it with a three-storey house, but the couple say their neighbour has failed to stick to the original proposals.
Of particular ire is an extension to the balcony which they claim overlooks their garden.
Celia, 57, says she now feels “very uncomfortable” when in a bikini on her sun terrace.
There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on Mr Kennedy’s part.
The couple say windows have been added to both sides of the new property, meaning their neighbour can look directly into their house.
They also claim an air source heat pump has been added to the flat roof without planning permission.
Mr Kennedy is understood to have since applied for retrospective planning permission.
The dispute has cast a cloud over the otherwise quiet cul-de-sac which is situated next to the Royal Motor Yacht Club on Sandbanks.
The properties there have rear gardens that back onto the water and have panoramic views over Poole Harbour.
Celia purchased her property with Nick for £2.7m in 2007, with the house now worth in excess of £4m.
She is calling on the council to take enforcement action against Mr Kennedy, who she accuses of “breaking so many of the planning rules”.
Celia added: “The extension of the decking covers the entire balcony, we have no privacy.
“He says it’s only for maintenance but he can literally stand there and look into our garden, it shouldn’t be allowed.”
She said she’s “baffled” and “shocked” by her neighbour’s “blatant breach” of planning rules.
In a letter to the council objecting to Mr Kennedy’s latest retrospective planning application, Mr Sawyer said: “Initially we made no objections to the original plans submitted and approved.
“Mr Kennedy showed us his plans and assured us that he would happily abide by our wishes.
“We advised that the only objection would be loss of privacy and unsightly appendages to the sides of the build. We were pleased to see that the planning department shared our concerns.
“However, Mr Kennedy’s actual plan was to blatantly breach the planning permission and totally disregard his previous agreement with his neighbours.
“My wife and I are extremely upset by Mr Kennedy’s actions.”
Mr Kennedy declined to comment on the matter.
But his planning consultant Martin Hanham said he had placed all responsibility for the building work with a local construction firm, who in turn appointed local architects.
Mr Hanham said: “My client is not a builder or developer… he put all the building works in the hands of a local construction company who appointed another firm of architects to deal with the building regulation application.
“My client was aware that very minor changes were made during the construction phase but he was not aware as to whether any form of planning consent was required, and if so, whether such consents had been secured.”
Councillor Millie Earl, deputy leader of the council and Portfolio Holder for Connected Communities said: “All proposals in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole areas are required to comply with local and national planning policies.
“The planning application for 5 The Horseshoe in Poole, is currently under review by the planning team, with the outcome to be determined.
“We have been made aware of some potential concerns relating to this address, but as this is a live application, we are unable to comment further at this time as we cannot predetermine the outcome of the current submission ”.