“Harry Potter” actor Rupert Grint (34) has big plans: he apparently wants to build his own small village. Construction is set to take place on his £5.4million estate, which he bought back in 2009. According to media reports, the residents of Kimpton Grange in the county of Hertfordshire in England are not at all enthusiastic about his project.
In 2018, the star wanted to sell the 18th-century estate for £6million. After he failed to do this, he is said to have applied for a building permit for the 22-hectare property.
The planned six luxury apartments, five single-family houses and four terraced houses should cause some problems. According to the “Sun”, the project could cause major traffic chaos in the rural area. In addition, 50 trees would have to be felled. This would sometimes destroy the habitat for birds, bats, squirrels, badgers and deer, as well as the view. In addition to a lake and a pond, an outdoor swimming pool, a gym, tennis courts and walled ornamental gardens are also planned. Those responsible assured that the construction should be CO2-neutral.
That didn’t convince local resident Davina Malcolm: “They said they would build the new houses to look like my house – but how can they do that when my house dates back to the 1700s.” Another resident worried about the narrow streets: “All these houses will have at least two, maybe even three cars, so it will be even more chaotic when they leave the site.”
Neil Burns, a resident, has already formally filed an appeal with City Council. At the planned location, building is only permitted in exceptional cases. But there are not only opponents of the project: The local Kimpton elementary school welcomes the plans to open a nature trail to a pond and a wooded area to the public, according to The Sun.
