Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, have reportedly angered neighbours with their plans for a double basement at Kensington Palace.
The royal couple – who have three-year-old son Prince George and 23-month-old daughter Princess Charlotte together – plan to bring their staff with them when they move into the famous palace from their Norfolk home later this year, but plans to build a £24 million "mega-basement" under the Grade I-listed Orangery have caused upset amongst locals who say the royals are breaching planning regulations.
In 2014, the council for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea banned the construction of double basements after millionaire home owners sent in a large number of planning applications.
Residents in the borough are now claiming the rules should apply to everyone, and the royals’ proposed plans – which would provide office space for employees of Historic Royal Palaces, who currently work in Kensington Palace but are moving out to make way for the couple’s personal staff – should not be an exception.
Donald Cameron, a 65-year-old retired telecoms executive, told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "This is an historic building and should not be disturbed. There can be no justification for a double basement. The Orangery is a central feature of the park which should be maintained as a peaceful facility for Londoners.
"The planning department seems to have been bedazzled by courtiers when giving pre-application advice."
Neighbour Marion Gettleson added: "The Orangery has long been a much loved and visited feature of a famous architectural and historical grouping.
"As such, the property should be respected and left alone. The disturbance caused by the excavations etc will cause considerable harm to the surrounding area for a long time.
"While somewhat less venerable, the immediate neighbourhood is also of great architectural, historical and political significance.
"It is very much hoped that other arrangement will be made for the proposed uses for a new basement on this site."
Kensington Palace submitted the plans for the basement last month, and in an application stated the build was "required" in order to make room for the royal couple’s staff.
The planning permission application read: "The addition of a basement storey is required to allow for the accommodation of administration which must necessarily be moved out of rooms leased from the Royal Household in Kensington Palace."
Residents angry at Kensington Palace basement plans
