David and Victoria Beckham recently submitted plans to the West Oxfordshire District Council in order to make some renovations to their Cotswolds home. One such addition to the property is a gatehouse and security hut, which includes 24-hour guards. However, their neighbors have voiced opposition to these planned changes.
According to The Sun, one of the neighbors said that adding the gatehouse would ruin the upscale neighborhood. They reportedly believe that the changes would ruin the ambiance of the area. One neighbor, John Walsby, said that “Farms and agricultural buildings do not have gatehouses and security huts.” He said that these efforts are totally out of keeping with the area.
Videos by PopCulture.com
The current plans and objections are in the councilors’ possession. They will review the materials and make a determination about whether or not to allow the new renovations. They could make a decision in the coming weeks.
One reason for the proposed security hut is a violent incident involving Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli and his girlfriend. Two men in black balaclavas broke into Alli’s North London property on May 12 and held them at knifepoint. The robbers took several items including jewelry and watches before fleeing the scene.
The Beckhams currently have two full-time security guards on their staff. These guards would spend 24 hours a day in the hut, provided officials approve the plans. The Beckham’s also said that the hut would “improve security for occupants” of the mansion and the surrounding grounds.
In addition to the hut, the proposed plans include other significant changes to the property. The Beckhams want to build an escape tunnel that will run from the main house. It will end in the wine cellar underneath their garage. They also want to add three more bays to their garage, increasing the total to seven.
While the majority of plans focus on their home security, the Beckhams also submitted a proposal for a “granny flat. This detached outbuilding would provide visiting guests with a place to stay during their visits to the Cotswold mansion. However, this will not be a simple guest suite.
“David and Victoria want their version of a granny flat,” a source told The Sun. “But far from this building being on the side of your house with a small kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, they’re going all out. The fancy building is being built in the same materials as their main house and will have a swanky kitchen, bathroom and bedroom for guests.”
