Neighbour row erupts over balcony overlooking garden as homeowner could be forced to demolish £4million house

A neighbour row has erupted over a balcony overlooking next door's garden as a homeowner could be forced to demolish his £4million house.

Neil Kennedy, 69, is locked in a fierce planning battle with Channel 4 interior design star Celia Sawyer, known to fans as "Mrs Bling".

Back in 2023, the 69-year-old ripped down a quaint bungalow along "Millionaire's Row" in Sandbanks, Dorset, and then rebuilt it as a modern three-storey complex.

Neighbours became furious as they realised Mr Kennedy had ploughed ahead with a series of unauthorised changes to his property.

The new development included a balcony - which was also an unauthorised change - which overlooks Mrs Sawyer's balcony, where she often sunbathes in a bikini.

The TV star said the change to the building plan was an invasion of her privacy.

Another one of the undocumented changes included a window looking directly into another neighbour's bedroom.

A loud air conditioning unit had also been added onto the flat roof.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council informed Mr Kennedy that he must apply for retrospective planning permission for the lush property.

Once the Liberal Democrat-run authority approved the controversial plan in January 2024, locals were up in arms over the decision.

Neighbour Garth Weston took the council to the High Court amid claims the process had been "unlawful" - and that the council planning officer did not even visit the site to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the property.

In the end, Judge Andrew Keyser KC ruled in favour of Mr Weston, ruling the consent invalid.

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"The officer did not visit the properties; arguable this did not enable a correct understanding of the subject development and the impact on neighbouring properties," the lawyer said.

"The errors in the officer’s report went beyond typing errors and there was a material misunderstanding of the factual position which renders the decision unlawful."

The council was told to cough up almost £15,000 to cover the court costs.

But, now, Mr Kennedy has resuscitated the row, submitting a new planning application to keep his illegal home.

Planning consultant Martin Hanham said: "I would like to point out that my client is not a builder or developer, but a retired accountant.

"Having secured planning consent for the replacement dwelling, 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.

"Given that all the changes made to the approved plans have now been inspected on site by your council and it has been confirmed none of the changes made raise any planning issues, I trust that an approval will be forthcoming in the near future."

Still, furious residents have argued that the site's impact on noise and privacy, urging the planning officer to make a "proper assessment".