Forum Topic

George's Amazing Spaces?

George Clarke may be positioning himself as the Barry Bucknell of Acton with his current tv production being filmed in my street, but a huge green monolith (portakabin?) has appeared in his back garden which is apparently his new summer house (or office according to his builders).  However, it takes up nearly the whole back garden and towers several feet above the neighbouring fence.  I am staggered that this wannabee aesthete can create such an ugly erection.

Anne Brown ● 4533d32 Comments

Should this have planning permission?

Dee Cook ● 4530d

Generally speaking, what are the main planning permissions and building regs for a summerhouse in one's garden in Acton please?

Gerry Tan ● 4530d

Ha ha! Monolith? Towers? I suggest the OP takes a look around her and compares the local out houses with GC's. It is no different to several in the area.

Colin Carroll ● 4529d

If anyone could tell me how to post a photo, I would.  It is absolutely enormous, runs the whole length of the garden and had to be hoisted in by a crane over the house.  It is currently about 3 feet higher than the garden fence and isn't even finished.  According to the TV production manager it is going to be a casual work space - whatever that is.

Anne Brown ● 4529d

Try to grab a pic when he tries to sneak the beds in.

Fred Bray ● 4523d

Summerlands ave?

Terrie Hodgson ● 4523d

All ugly erections should have planning permission

David P Archer ● 4523d

Yes it is Summerlands  Avenue and I will certainly be watching what he does with it, but the loss of garden space is pretty dreadful. No thought about wildlife habitat, let alone the neighbours. I just can't understand why he didn't just buy a bigger house if he wanted another room. He also has planning permission for a rear extension so goodness knows what will go up after they have finished filming.

Anne Brown ● 4523d

I've just seen the photos and agree it's very ugly and obtrusive. You would have thought he would have spoken to his neighbours at some stage.

David P Archer ● 4523d

I guess if he had spoken to his neighbours, they would have tried to persuade him not to go ahead so he chose not to discuss it with them in the first place.  I don't suppose he gives a damn what other people think.  I don't know why he doesn't avail himself of the new trend for digging down, and lower the whole thing a few feet!

Anne Brown ● 4522d

I can see the monstrosity from where I live. I cannot believe one is allowed to build such a thing in their back garden.

Terrie Hodgson ● 4522d

It's London Borough of Ealing Planning Department that doesn't give a damn.................Something VERY wrong is going on in that Department.

Rosco White ● 4521d

His spokesperson said the shed comes 'within permitted development rules'. If so nothing Ealing or any other planning department can do about it.......

Iain Muir ● 4520d

George Clarke has now added a perspex tunnel connecting the structure to his brick garage!  His garden looks like a little industrial estate now.  It looks horrendous.  It is all probably perfectly legal, but it is also un-neighbourly and betrays his arrogance and inconsiderate nature.

Anne Brown ● 4517d

Not at all sure it is legal actually.

Maire Lowe ● 4517d

The original post says  that this building takes up nearly the whole back garden. According to DCLG planning rules, it would require planning permission if:"the total area of ground covered by buildings, enclosures and containers within the curtilage (other than the original dwellinghouse) would exceed 50% of the total area of the curtilage (excluding the ground area of the original dwellinghouse)"So unless there is a large front garden, it may well be illegal.

Peter Millman ● 4516d

The response in the front page story includes 'Stewatt Batt from Plum Pictures replied: '' The structure currently being constructed in George's garden will be used as a causal work space/ entertaining area. It is being built under permitted development where following the guidelines within this. As such it will be no more than 2.5 metres high, will not take up more than 50% of the total garden space' ........ I am sure Ealing Planning will inspect to see if it does comply with regs.......

Iain Muir ● 4516d

The man himself is featuring his garden development on his own show on channel 4 right now. Watch on +1 at 9pm if you miss it.

Jennifer Monaghan ● 4485d

Yes, I watched it last night through gritted teeth. Ealing planning enforcement have approved the structure under permitted development.  He called it a "casual workspace" but that's not what he called it on TV last night.  And a cinema in the garage? The fact is that however "amazing" it might be for him, those neighbours who are affected by the enormous height which is much higher than all the fences aren't impressed.  And I noticed that the plans he drew implied the structure was much lower compared to the fences, and that there were trees in adjoining gardens, neither of which is true.  It reminded me of the plans the Acton Regeneration Company produced, but I suppose that's architects for you!  Do tune in for next week's gripping episode.

Anne Brown ● 4484d

Those sorts of plans take advantage of the fact that the planners aren't that good at leaving their offices.  This is why everyone else has to take note of what is going on around them AND that whatever it is is built to whatever design and dimensions has been permitted and isn't something completely different!

Philippa Bond ● 4481d

The final episode showing the completed works - from his side of the fence at least, has been shown.I thought that it looked great - from his side - and is clearly a fun place more than a workplace.What is the neighbourhood view now?

Paul Webster ● 4434d

I wouldn't want to live next to that load of rubbish.  What happens when the children get bored with it all.Perhaps his children would be better off playing in the park?

Dee Cook ● 4432d

So if you build a huge structure in your garden that blights the neighbours' enjoyment of their gardens, it's OK if it's "fun" inside? Maybe it does look nice inside(not so in my opinion but I don't care).  The point is that it is a horrific eyesore from the outside, that his next door neighbour has to contend with a huge green metal "wall" which towers over their existing fence all along the length of their back garden, and George himself said he didn't give a damn of the effect on the neighbours! I notice that at no time did the programme show the view from another garden.  He is rarely there and it is clear this was just done for a tv show, so the whole thing is a charade.  And he's done nothing to make amends to the neighbours or even show his face and apologise.

Anne Brown ● 4432d

I did not say that it was OK.My reference to "fun" was because hat appeared to be the objective of the place rather than an office or accommodation.I presume that he is not there a lot because he does not live there yet.Possible reasons for that are on the Wikipedia page about him and were in the press around the end of 2013 .... a divorce in progress.I did not say that it was OK to build a huge structure that blights the neighbours. I was asking how it looks now that it is complete.

Paul Webster ● 4432d

Looks like he will be able to dump his kids inside the pod and then retreat to his house hunting in Kensington and Chelsea, as reported in the Sunday Times a couple of weeks ago.

Dee Cook ● 4432d

From the shots on TV it didn't look that much higher than surrounding garages and sheds and if it's within permitted development it can't be that high, surely?That said, the whole thing was rather self indulgent and I wonder how much of his personal project was paid for by the production company and channel 4 for our entertainment. Nice gig if you can get it.  I also wonder how long the butterflies will last.

Ben Smith ● 4432d

... not long.

Dee Cook ● 4431d

Trust me, Nick,it is huge.  If I could post a photo here I would show you, but my pictures were on the front page of the forum for quite a few weeks so perhaps they are searchable.  Quite honestly, if he'd dug a pit and lowered it, the impact would not have been so bad.  The whole thing was a vanity project for the tv show - the production company were coordinating all the building works so presumably there was also a tax advantage.

Anne Brown ● 4431d

The w3 article with photo is athttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-28602997How does it look now from the same vantage point?

Paul Webster ● 4428d

Oops ... Wrong pasted link

Paul Webster ● 4428d

Here is the linkhttp://www.actonw3.com/default.asp?section=info&page=actgeorge001.htmhow does it look now?

Paul Webster ● 4428d

Thank you Paul Webster for posting.  Well, since those photos were taken, George also installed a tunnel from the edge of the portakabin (or container as we also call it) to the garage to join the two together.  As you can see, it towers above the fence.  Now this is perfectly legal, as Ealing planning enforcement have looked at it (albeit before the tunnel went up) but it was put up with absolutely zero concern for the effect on the neighbours or the loss of habitat for flaura and fauna.

Anne Brown ● 4425d